


Guidance and Seduction

by good_sindi



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Actress Rey, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bazine the diva, Broadway director Armitage, Cheating, Cruelty, Dark Rey (Star Wars), Dominant Kylo Ren, Evil Snoke, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, First Kiss, First Time, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Kylo Ren Has Issues, Kylo Ren Needs a Hug, Kylo Ren Redemption, Learning for the auditions, Leia and Kylo talks, Manipulation, Mentioned Sheev Palpatine | Darth Sidious, New York City, Passion, Protective Kylo Ren, Public Humiliation, Rape, Rape/Non-con Elements, Rey Needs A Hug, Rey Palpatine, Seduction, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Snoke Being a Dick, Suicide, Touching, Unexperience Rey, armitage, showdown
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-27
Updated: 2020-03-19
Packaged: 2020-10-29 11:49:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 44
Words: 83,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20796173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/good_sindi/pseuds/good_sindi
Summary: Rey auditions for the leading role of Nightingale in a new Broadway play. But this role demands everything from the actress, also in a sensual respect. A problem for Rey, as she is reserved in this area. In order to get her role, she has to learn to discover herself with the help of an expert and then allow herself to be close to her.





	1. The Answer

**Author's Note:**

> English is not my mother tongue, but I will try to do my best - with the help from DeepL.  
Thank you to my lovely beta reader ;)  
___________________________________  
Star Wars and the characters are based on George Lucas and Lucasfilms.  
The idea for this FF comes from me, I do not earn any money with it!

_ **"Dear Miss Jakkusen,** _   
_ **I am pleased to inform you that you have been shortlisted for the nightingale role. To discuss further details, we would like to invite you to another appointment."** _

  
"Finn, Finn," exclaimed the young woman with the long brown hair, audibly excited, at the same time she jumped up from the cozy couch in the living room and ran into one of the two adjacent bedrooms. Arriving there, she met the called man who had just closed the last button on the collar of his police uniform. Confused, he looked through the mirror at the narrow silhouette of his roommate, who was merely wrapped in a warm dressing gown. . Asking, he turned to her and his gaze fell on the open envelope and the message she was holding in her hand.

"Finn, they invited me again - I am shortlisted for the role of nightingale! I should audition again this morning," she explained cheering and dancing in his bedroom as he read the answer to himself.  
  
"I'm happy for you, Rey." He replied with a mild smile as he returned the letter to her. "I'll finally be able to prove to them that I'm just as worthy to bear their last name," she said determiningly, whereupon Finn sighed softly. "Rey, you don't have to define yourself about her!" "But Finn, I must" she replied with an angry expression of her hazelnut brown eyes. Shaking his head, the young man reached for his service weapon, which was lying on the chest of drawers. He had known the young woman since she was at school together and it would be hard to imagine the common circle of friends through which they were connected without her.  
  
"Since I have a double shift in front of me today, we probably won't see each other until tomorrow evening," he explained after stepping into the spacious kitchen-living room and thanking Rey for a cup of coffee. "I might not be home then." "Friday night, are you and Rose going out again?" Nodding, she gave herself a second load of the caffeinated drink. "Yes, she really wants to show a certain club." "Then you both can celebrate your victory." "Who knows if they'll even take me?" Smiling, Finn put the emptied cup in the dishwasher before saying goodbye to Rey with a cheek kiss. "They'd be stupid to withhold the role of nightingale from you." "You could come after work?" "Let's see, I wish you good luck, Peanut!" "Thank you, Finn! Avoid the bullets!" Grinning, he looked at Rey, who winked at him. "Play them to the ground, Erso!" Symbolically the young woman raised her fist before the policeman closed the door of his apartment smiling.  
  
As soon as the door lock clicked noisily through the kitchen, Rey's smile disappeared and made room for a serious facial expression. She looked again at the piece of paper lying on the surface of the kitchen island.  
  
_Do I really have what it takes? _  
_You're never good enough to make it to New York City._  
_Just because you bear her name doesn't mean you have the talent._  
  
She shook her head in an attempt to get the voices from the past out of her thoughts. "No, Finn's right - I'll do it!" she said with a cheering smile and disappeared confidently into her own bedroom, right next to Finns.  
  
Three hours later she left the theatre, which, like all the others, was located around the famous Broadway. Her hazelnut brown eyes wandered to the big round logo where the big letter below was written. "The First Order Company Theater." Sighing, she looked at the business card she had received a few minutes earlier.  
  
_1 hour before_  
Nervously, Rey sat in the waiting area and watched the other women waiting like her. "She heard the voice of a young woman with reddish hair. "I don't know, but if I did, I'd do anything for the part," her neighbor replied, and the others giggled. Rey wanted to know "What are you telling yourself?" while she looked up casually from the magazine she had just taken from the pile. "Who is supposed to have been chosen for the male lead." Rey was silent, waiting for her answer and noticed all her eyes hanging on the lips of the redheads. "Poe Dameron!" Before she had heard the name, a soft scream went through the room while Rey tried not to twist her eyes.  
  
_Of course, like all the other women in the Poe Dameron area. He was one of the hottest actors of his time, was even called one of the best of his generation. Currently he was mainly seen in several Hollywood blockbusters, but the rumors said that he was bored and looking for a change. Before Rey thought any further, the door was opened and a young man followed by another entered the waiting room. That was so obvious, Rey thought annoyed when she actually looked into Poe Dameron's smiling, self-satisfied face. He obviously enjoyed the excited reactions from the women._  
  
_"Good morning, ladies. Mitaka to my right here and I will perform today the final selection for the role of nightingale. We are very excited about every single audition. In this sense good luck, see you soon" Poe explained objectively and disappeared with a grin in one of the back rooms. Meanwhile, the young man whom Poe had previously introduced as Mitaka looked at his documents. _  
  
_"I'll call your names and you'll come with me. Please take all your personal things with you as you will leave the theatre through the front entrance after the audition". A murmur went through the waiting area, audibly excited, while Rey instinctively grabbed her carrier bag, which was lying on her lap. _  
  
_"Tallie Lintra" Mitaka read from the list in his hands and looked up as a young woman with dark hair rose and followed him into the back room. "Tallie is a very young beginner in theatre." she also heard the mocking voice of the redheads. Rey opened her mouth to give a reaction, but was prevented from doing so by another young woman whose hand she now felt on her own. "What? she formed silently with her mouth, but recognized how the stranger gently shook her head and sat down on the chair next to her. _  
  
_"You will see that all of you will have no chance." she announced immediately and looked straight for victory. Less than ten minutes later Mitaka appeared in the room again. "Bazine Netal." With a just too royal smile of victory, the redhead now rose and cast a pejorative glance towards Rey and her neighbour before following the young assistant. _  
  
_"That was Bazine Netal," she heard another young woman whisper as the woman next to her shook her head. "You didn't recognize her because of her reddish hair." "You do, Pava?" "I've known Bazine for a long time, unfortunately," she explained, looking at Rey. "Why? "We were at the same school together." "My condolences, Pava." "It doesn't have to, Zizi," she replied to the young woman. "By the way, my name is Jessica Pava," she said to Rey. "Rey Erso." "Pleased to meet you, Rey Erso. You must be new, I haven't heard your name yet." "Actually, my name is..." Rey started when Mitaka appeared again. "Rachel Erso!" Surprised, Jessica looked at her seat neighbor, who reached for her carrier bag and looked down at her apologetically. "Good luck! "Thank you, you too." _  
  
_Contrary to her expectations, Rey was not led into a room by a corridor, but directly into the wardrobe where a tall woman with wavy blonde hair was already waiting for her. "Gwen, this is Rachel Erso," Mitaka explained briefly before leaving the two women alone. "Rachel, may I say Rachel?" "Rey, please." Smiling, the tall woman nodded and pushed back a chair that had been right in front of the make-up mirror. "My name is Gwen, today I am responsible for make-up and preparation. Please, Rey take a seat." Obediently she followed her instructions and let herself sink into the chair. Gwen opened her long, dark hair and grabbed a brush. "Your hair is beautiful." "Thank you very much. "Only for the nightingale, it could become a problem." she said and reached for a hairband. "In what way?" "The nightingale wears her hair short, at least on bob length." With her lips pressed together, Rey watched Phasma skilfully tie her hair to the required length by a trick. Because of the dark eye shadow and the dark red lipstick, Rey suddenly saw herself sitting opposite a perfect, different young woman. "Look at that," Gwen mumbled and received a questioning facial expression from Rey, whereupon the blonde just shook her head. _  
  
_"Is Miss Erso ready?" Mitaka asked, after knocking politely before. Nodding, Gwen pushed the chair back so that Rey rose and went to Mitaka. Before she left the room, she turned to the blonde again. "Thank you, Gwen." "Gladly and good luck! With one last breath she followed Mitaka out to notice, to her dismay, that he brought her directly to the stage of the theatre. There stood an old couch, behind which was an erected wall. Not far from the couch stood a table and a chair on which Poe Dameron sat and rose as soon as he saw Rey. _  
  
_"Miss Rachel Erso? asked another male voice and let the famous dark-haired actor look towards the orchestra pit where a red-haired young man was sitting. His expression was completely expressionless and at the same time caused a cold shiver on her back. "Yes," she merely said, watching Poe Dameron take the carrier bag out of her hands. "May I?" he asked. "Of course" Rey replied and realized that he was palming her personal belongings at the entrance to the back of the stage. "Poe went through the middle part of the second act with Miss Erso," the redhead told him, and the dark-haired man looked down at him in surprise. "He asked "Armitage? confused, reaching for the script that was on the table. "You heard me, Poe!" "But we hadn't agreed on that!" With an inner malaise, Rey watched the redhead rise and slowly climb the stairs to the stage. With a serious expression on his face he stopped right next to Rey and looked at Poe, who looked at him with unpleasant facial expressions. "Who is the director here?" he asked the actor with a challenging voice, who then lowered his head. "You of course, Armitage." "Right, so now we're going to go through exactly this scene with Miss Erso." "Of course," he said, turning away from the two and returning to the chair. "Miss Erso, my name is Armitage Hux and I'm the director of this play," the redhead introduced himself and Rey immediately knew why the redhead had previously seemed familiar to her. In front of her stood one of the most famous young directors who had emerged from the forge of the First Order Company. "Rachel Erso," Rey replied politely and received a folder as a thank-you. "As Poe had noted, we're not going to rehearse a classic audition scene, but something completely different. A scene where I will test her talent for improvisation," Hux explained as he returned to his place in the front row of the orchestra pit. With shock widened eyes, Rey saw exactly what the scene was about as he flicked through the scene and accordingly looked towards Poe, who had pressed his lips together. _  
  
_"Is there a problem, Miss Erso?" she heard the voice of Hux as she slowly approached Poe. "Young boy, what are you called?" she asked and immediately sat down on the table next to Poe, whose gaze fell on her narrow legs. "I am the one who desires you," he replied and rose. Instinctively, Rey pushed herself directly into the place where his chair had previously stood. "You desire me?" Poe laid his hands directly on both sides of her hips and approached her face. "Yes, I do. Oh nightingale, how much I do that," he said and immediately nourished her right ear. "You must now lie on the couch and seduce me." With a superimposed smile she leaned back and put her arms back, much to the obvious surprise of Poe, who paused for a moment before bending over her. "Nightingale, what a beautiful body you possess, show me your charms - open yourself to me completely. she heard Poe speak and felt his hand gliding up the inside of her thigh. The closer he came to her physical center, the more restless Rey became, mirroring herself in her breath. "I cannot and will not bow to your cries, so we end this game now and immediately!" she said in a trembling voice, whereupon Poe retreated. _  
  
_"Enough!" Armitage exclaimed out loud, whereupon Rey with a hectic breath sat up again with the help of Poe's hand. "Thank you," she said quietly, barely audible to others. Poe just nodded to her and left when Hux had arrived. "Miss Erso, if you truly want to play the role of the nightingale, you must work on your fear of touch. Confused by his statement, she shook her head. "I could clearly see her efforts in the tension of her thigh, that must not be! At the theatre you have exactly one chance and it has to convince! Since I have seen the recordings of their first audition, I know that they have the necessary talent for this role. I give you another chance, but only under one condition! Frowning, Rey looked from Hux to Poe, who watched the scenery with pressed lips. "If you work on your relationship with your body, I'm afraid we won't be able to find a basis for cooperation." Disillusioned, Rey watched the red-haired director step back into his seat to dedicate himself to the next candidate. "Mitaka, next please" he exclaimed, whereupon Rey ran off the stage almost hastily and reached for her carrier bag. _  
  
_"Miss Erso!" she heard a female voice behind her as she walked past the dressing room. "Miss Erso" she repeated herself and made Rey pause. Asking, she looked back and recognized Gwen, who led in the open door frame to the dressing room. "Gwen" she said quietly and returned to the tall woman. "I happened to overhear what Armitage said to you," she explained after pushing the young woman into the dressing room. "I'm probably not erotic enough. "But you are, otherwise Armitage would never have let you play this scene! "But..." Gwen shook her head and put a motherly hand on her right shoulder. "How are you adjusted to touching other people who are more intimate in nature?" "It's difficult for me." Rey admitted with his head lowered. With a white smile, Gwen reached for her handbag and pulled out a small business card. "Call here and say Phasma's on its way." With her eyebrows pulled together, she looked at the business card before nodding to the blonde and nodded as Mitaka appeared behind her, accompanied by Jessica Pava. "Thank you, Gwen," Rey said as she provided the chair for her successor. "See you soon, Rey," she replied and then devoted herself to Jessica, who winked at her to say goodbye._  
  
So now she stood in the middle of Hells Kitchen, where a modern house stretched out in front of her, whose facade was black and had numerous windows. Her insecure gaze wandered back to the business card in her hand.  
  
**"THE SUPREMACY**  
**Guidance and seduction.**  
**Kylo Ren"**  
  
_"Ren." _  
_"Hello, my name is Erso, I'm calling for an appointment." _  
_"We're booked up for months."_  
_"I got this phone number from Gwen." _  
_"What did you say her name was again?" _  
_"Erso." _  
_"Miss Erso, as I said, we're fully booked. But as I can see right now, one of the clients has been cancelled at short notice today. I could only offer you this appointment." _  
_"When?_  
_"At five o'clock in the afternoon, as I said, I can't offer you any more, Miss Erso." _  
_"I'll take the appointment." _  
_"Very well, then I expect you at five o'clock and Miss Erso..."_  
_"Yes?"_  
_"Please take some loose sports clothes with you."_  
_"All right." _  
_"See you later, Miss Erso." _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspiration for the title of the chapter, Kodaline - The Answer


	2. Got It In You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Plan for updating this story should be between friday - sunday. Thank for your first kudos, more are always welcome and reviews too:
> 
> Well lets begin, Rey is going to meet Kylo Ren.

There were many different companies, institutions and businesses in New York City. Almost every area was represented, but none of them was like the one in the middle of Hells Kitchen. In an apartment that, apart from a kitchen and bathroom, consisted only of a spacious living room and bedroom, a unique company had been successfully run for over three years. Seen from the outside, it seemed to be an ordinary apartment, but inside it was not. The owner of this apartment had just returned from the gym area of the complex and was completely sweaty. He had just closed the entrance door to the apartment behind him when the doorbell of the intercom sounded. With the help of the towel he wiped the sweat off his face where his dark long hair was stuck while pressing the button. "Yes hello?" "Erso, we have an appointment now at five." His eyes wandered to the oversized clock that had its place on the living room wall and nodded. "Come up, I'll leave the door open," he explained and allowed her in. Then he unlocked the lock and wrote a short note on a piece of paper because he was laying on the small table in the entrance area under the vase with the orchids.  
  
Once again intimidated by his deep voice, Rey exhaled deeply and entered the foyer, which to her left was stylishly clad in dark mahogany wood. At her feet was a carpet leading directly to the elevator. Arriving on the second floor she could see that a door to her right was a bit open. Right in front of that door, Rey sighed deeply and opened the door so she could enter. Carefully she closed the door behind her and faced a picture of a little veiled woman. It was painted in the classical style of the 19th century and took up almost the entire wall. Then the vase with the orchid caught her eye, where there was obviously a note. Carefully she took a look at where it was written in beautiful handwriting:  
  
**"I'll be right back. In the meantime, you can make yourself comfortable in the living room area. Kylo Ren." **   
  
With a piece of paper in her hand, she slowly moved into the adjoining room, where there was a kitchenette on the right before a spacious living room revealed itself before her eyes. On the wall to her left was an oversized, large clock with a Roman dial. While the adjacent wall surface revealed an extraordinary view of the inner courtyard of the residential complex, a staircase led up to a floor, where she could now hear the noisy splash of a shower. She quickly averted her gaze and looked instead at the elegant black leather couch. Feeling unable to get rid of the feeling of not wanting to dirty the clean surface, Rey went back to the window front and watched the green areas of the courtyard area. What would she expect here? Why did Gwen send her here of all places? Deep in thought, she didn't notice like a tall man whose body was only covered with a bath towel around his hip, silently watching her. When he saw the young woman wrapping her arms around her slender body, he withdrew from the glass wall and put on a body-hugging dark blue jeans. He covered his upper body with a classic white linen shirt, the first two buttons of which he left open. His dark hair, which had been damp from the shower before, he left open. He took a last look at the display of his smartphone, where he opened a certain message  
  
**"Miss Erso needs tutoring on her body for professional reasons, she auditioned Armitage for the role of nightingale." **  
  
"I'll look at her and then I'll decide," he wrote and put the mobile phone in the second drawer of the small chest of drawers that was right next to the generous double bed. His bed linen was made of black silk, as were the decorative cushions, which were generously distributed at the head end. On his way down the stairs, his fingertips gently touched the fine surface of the bedspread. Almost silently he touched the first staircase, but could not prevent her attention. Satisfied, he noticed her eyes widening in surprise for a few seconds before her facial expression took on a neutral tone.  
  
Arriving at her, he stretched out his hand to greet her. "Miss Erso, I am Kylo Ren." "Mister Ren" she replied with a strong voice, suggesting a solid character. The firmness with which she took his hand into hers confirmed his serious impression. "Please call me Kylo." "Rey" she introduced herself with a friendly but timid smile. The dark-haired man watched the young woman in front of him for a few moments before nodding affirmatively. "What can I do for you, Rey?" he wanted to know and pointed to the couch where he settled afterwards. He was not surprised that Rey chose her seat with a certain distance to his person. "I auditioned at the First Order Company Theater for the role of Nightingale, where I was shortlisted."  
  
"Congratulations, but where can I help you?" "The director, Armitage Hux, felt that I was only conditionally suited for the role." Kylo led the index finger to his mouth and could see how Rey began to cramp visibly from one second to the next. "Why?" "It's true, the role of the nightingale is very special, it requires..." "He finished her sentence, whereupon she looked at him in surprise. "How do you know..." "Gwen and I run this company here together, and I know Armitage relatively well." Rey lowered her head and put both hands in her lap.  
  
"I'm very tense about these things, I've never played a role that requires such physical effort before. But if I want to progress professionally and be taken seriously as an actress, I have to get my deficits under control in this respect," she explained with a serious facial expression that was bursting with truthfulness.  
  
"Well, then I'll first explain to you how I work and then you decide if you'd like to try." He waited for her approval, which she nodded. "All right, first of all we'll write that everything that happens here in these four walls happens with both of us agreeing." he started and reached for the folder that was already on the coffee table. "We will both sign a confidentiality agreement. This prohibits both parties, i.e. you and I, from reporting to third parties anything that will take place between us within the scope of this business relationship. This is primarily for your personal protection, Rey. My clients can rely on me to maintain discretion. In return, I expect the same." Nodding, the person addressed let her eyes wander over the various contractual clauses. "How do you get your clients if they are not allowed to talk about their experiences here immediately? "You speak of word of mouth?" Rey nodded. "We are a very exclusive company, not the clients choose us, we choose the people we work with." "Gwen is just like you..." He shook his head. "No, Gwen doesn't offer her male clients the scope I do with my female clients." Wordlessly, the young woman of the black-haired man looked back at the document in front of her. "Do I have to sign right away?" Again he denied it and stretched out his hand to the contract, which she hesitantly returned to him. While he took the folder with his left hand, he reached for her free wrist with his right hand. Shocked by his action, Rey could only watch silently as he laid his fingers at the height of her pulse.  
  
Slowly Rey's eyes wandered up the muscular arm until she looked directly into his dark eyes, which looked intensely towards her. Clearing her throat, she withdrew from his grip and once again embedded both hands in her lap. "Rey..." "Yes?" Her voice was quiet, her insecurity clearly audible. "A collaboration can only work if you show me your unrestricted trust." "I..." she began trembling again, whereupon Kylo rose and looked down on her. "Do you want the role of the nightingale?" Surprised by his harsh tone, she now looked up at him and was confronted with a corresponding facial expression. "Of course! "Then show me that you want her," he challenged her, grabbing her upper arm roughly and pulling it up. Surprised by his sudden change of mood, she looked at the black haired man for a moment before closing her eyes to breathe deeply. "Show yourself Nightingale." she heard his hard voice, whereupon Rey opened her eyes again and began to approach him. With every step she took towards him, he retreated from her. She didn't know why, but he walked towards the stairs, forcing her to climb one step at a time. "The nightingale seduces, she takes what she wants," he said, arriving at the end of the stairs as Rey stood two stairs below. He could clearly see her emerging anger, her beginning anger. "If you're not ready to seduce me, Armitage will never take you," he said loudly before feeling her two hands on his chest the next moment she reached his height. Before he could react, she pushed him with enormous force back onto the large double bed and found herself under her body. Breathing heavily, she leaned down to him, so that her long brown hair fell out of the hairdresser, who had probably conjured Gwen hours earlier.  
  
Their faces were now close as Rey stared breathlessly at him, Kylo began to smile. "Now I realize why she sent you to me." Confused, Rey crawled down from his body and freed her long hair from the last hairpins they had held together. "Excuse me." he heard her say quietly, but Kylo shook her head and reached for her wrist again, but this time his touch was gentle. Asking, she looked over her shoulder as she sat beside him at the height of his hips. "You will never apologize for the deeds you will commit here. Silently she nodded and left the double bed. "May I use the bathroom for a moment? "Downstairs there's a bathroom for my clients." Nodding, she already wanted to enter the stairs when she heard his voice again: "You can also use the one up here for a change. I'll wait for you downstairs." "Thank you," she said and disappeared into the adjacent bathroom. Kylo's polite smile left him as soon as the bathroom door was closed. He took his smartphone from the second drawer and wrote a message to Gwen:  
  
**"I take her under my wing. Tell Armitage he'll get his nightingale." **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspiration song for the title of the chapter, Got It In You - BANNERS


	3. Time After Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay, next chapter comes :)  
It´s time for Rey to have fun or should I say, it´s partytime for the tico sisters? ..probably :D  
and we see Kylo Ren again..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspiration Song;  
Time After Time - EPIC POP Version

With mixed feelings, Rey stood in front of the bodysized mirror, silently looking at her slender body, which was only covered by her beige underwear. The ribs were clearly visible from the rest of her upper body and her hip bones were also recognizable. How could she ever show this stature to another person, let alone a whole theatre audience? For years she had dreamed of being accepted into an acting school, but she had never been able to pay the fees, let alone receive a scholarship. Then came this open audition, unlike the many other auditions of this kind, those responsible had not been disturbed by their unfamiliarity or their lack of experience. Of course she had already played in the theatre group several times in high school, but these were the only things she could show.  
  
The ringing of the doorbell ripped her from her thoughts. She quickly reached for her bathrobe and put it on. On her way to the apartment door, she knotted the coat and carefully opened the door where a young woman of Asian descent stood. Sighing, she smiled at the visitor, stepping aside so that she could enter the spacious kitchen-living room.  
  
"Why haven't you moved yet?" she wanted to know while she got rid of her dark leather coat herself. Underneath, a wine-red, sleeveless dress came to light, whose skirt ended above her knees. "You look very handsome, Rose," said Rey appreciatively and received an approving grin from her longtime girlfriend, "Of course, when Rose Tico goes out on the slopes in style! "I wish I could say the same about myself," replied the brown-haired girl whose freshly blow-dried hair fell openly over her back. "I thought so already, so I brought you a little present today! Frowning, she watched Rose put a paper bag on the kitchen island and took out a short black dress with spaghetti straps. "Wow, Rose, I can't accept that!" "Calm down, Rey. I've spoken to Paige and now that she's about to complete her au pair year in Australia, she doesn't have any use for such clothes anyway. So she asked me to tell you that she would be very happy if you would accept it." "I can't accept that, Rose." "Paige has to say that herself because she's waiting for us in front of the club." Shaking her head, she took the garment from the hands of her long-time girlfriend: "Come get dressed, one of the hottest shops in town is waiting for us!  
From the house in the Crown Heights, where Finn and her shared apartment was located, the subways took them towards Manhattan, where they finally found the said club in Meatpacking District. "Paige," Rose shouted excitedly to the young woman who had been waiting for the two friends a few feet from the location. "Rose, Rey, nice to see you." greeted the Asian friendly and gave them an intimate embrace. "I see my sister has put your hair up," Paige noticed with a proud look as she examined Reys hairdresser. "She was of the opinion that my hair wasn't just enough tied together." "She was absolutely right, this club is very exclusive. They pay attention to elegance and style". Rey looked skeptically at the black leather jacket that Finn had given her for her twenty-first birthday. "Don't worry." Laughing, Rose took Rey by her forearm and together they lined up, hoping to be let in by the doorman. "Where will you spend your year as an aupair?" Rey wanted to know while they waited in the queue. "In Canberra, with a very nice Asian family." "That's not even the best, Rey." Rose threw in a grin as her gaze glided back and forth to the muscular doorman. Irritated, she looked at Paige, not understanding what her younger sister was talking about. "He's a senior executive at the Vietnamese embassy in Canberra." Speechless, the brown-haired woman formed a wow with her mouth and received a proud nod from Rose.  
  
"With this job, I won't be able to spend much of my nightlife and I'll have to adjust my wardrobe accordingly," said Paige, gently touching Rey's leather jacket. "But you'll be back in a year and need it yourself." "It would hang with me only in the box and get dusty. With you I know that they are in good hands." "Paige..." Smiling, the two friends embraced each other and Rose pulled on her sister's upper arm when they arrived at the doorman. "Ladies..." he began with a deep voice. "Chewie..." Paige replied with a seductive voice, giving the bearded man a magical smile. "This is my sister, Rose, and our friend Rey." With a nod in the direction of his colleague, he caused them to open the velvety, separating belt for the three women. "Have fun, ladies." "Thank you, Chewie," Paige replied with a wink, while Rey gave a shy smile to the full bearded man and a respectful nod on his part.  
  
Inside they first came to the wardrobe area where she handed over her leather jacket to the middle-aged lady. "A very nice jacket," she noticed when Rey handed it over. "Thank you very much" she said smiling and immediately followed her friends to the neighboring area where she could already hear loud music. "Come on," she heard Paige's voice calling. Smiling, she grabbed Rose's hand that had grabbed hers and let herself be dragged into the main hall. Within a few seconds she found herself in the middle of a dancing crowd, the three women struggling to make their way through the crowd.  
  
"Finn wrote me you had another audition today?" Rose started after they found a quieter spot away from the main dance floor for themselves. Damn Finn, Rey thought angrily and shook his head. "It was a disaster." Frowning, the Tico sisters looked at each other before Rey sipped her drink. "Unlike the other women in front of me, the director had let me play a scene by seducing my play partner." Paige looked anxiously towards the rose which pressed her lips together while Rey lowered her gaze. "I'm sorry, but hadn't you realized beforehand that the role of the nightingale is a character who's not stingy with her charms?" Paige said and took an evil look from Rose. "But, basically, I have no problem with dressing more revealingly when it serves the role." "But? Rey looked high directly into the faces of her friends. "The director apparently wants to put his main focus on the nightingale's agility, which means more physical contact between the main protagonists. "Who did you play with?" Rose wanted to know curiously and caused a smile in Rey, because she knew about her affection for the dark-haired actor. "Paige warned her severely, while she waved her wine list in her face, "Rose, now don't be childish." Paige exhorted her severely as she waved the wine list in her face.  
  
"That's easy for you to say, Rey got in touch with one of the hottest guys in America." Annoyed, Paige twisted his eyes while Rey nervously hit one leg over the other. "Tell Rey, how did it feel to be so close to Poe Dameron?" "Strange," she replied, swallowing heavily the memory of the audition and the associated feelings of budding panic. "Rose, don't do that" hissed the older of the younger ones, whereupon she looked at her girlfriend, who stared thoughtlessly towards the floor. "I'm sorry, that was very tactless of me," she said, gently touching Rey on her shoulder. "It's all right, you can't help my fears." "So you weren't taken," Paige concluded, but to her astonishment the brown-haired one shook her head. "Excuse me?" "No, the director gave me a second chance. When I'm working on my problem areas, he can seemingly imagine working with me." The Tico sisters looked at each other again with big eyes. "But how are you going to do that? "I received a business card from a staff member of a man who works with clients whose problems lie in these areas. "Is there such a thing? Rey played nervously with her hands, which she moved up and down on her lap.  
  
"Yes, I've been to see him. It's apparently very difficult to get an appointment there, he didn't want to take me either at first." "But..." "When I told him who gave me the business card, he gave me a last-minute appointment." "What was it like? "It was very strange, but he agreed to work with me." "Where is it, what's his name?" "I can't say that, every client has to sign a confidentiality agreement." "That is understandable, but Rey..." Paige began and received a questioning facial expression. "Yes, Paige?" "Take care if you feel he's...going too far or doing something you don't want." The brown-haired girl nodded and stroked her upper arm, where she had touched Kylo for the first time hours before.  
  
"So enough, now we're celebrating my farewell to Australia." Paige announced after returning a round of tequila from the bar. After three more shots, the Tico sisters were so drunk that they couldn't make a normal step towards the dance floor. "Let's go, I'll get us some more." said Rey, whose last two tequila glasses had each been emptied by Rose before she herself had no chance at all. "Yes Rey Rey, do that" replied a giggling rose and left the two behind. As she searched her way through the dancing crowd, she did not notice that she attracted the attention of a visitor to the club.  
  
"What can I do for you?" the young bartender wanted to know, after he had put their drinks on the theses of some visitors. "Please three more shots of tequila," she replied before he disappeared nodding. While waiting for her order, she reached for her smartphone inside her small handbag, the straps of which were across her body.  
  
**"Hello Finn, could you please come to the club and pick us up, Rose and Paige are too drunk, send the address right away. Rey, xx."**  
  
"Here's your shots, Tequila." She heard the bartender's voice and looked up from the screen of her smartphone. "Thank you," she said, shoving over some dollar bills that the young man gratefully accepted. "I didn't think you were someone drinking tequila," said a dark voice behind her, looking to the right where the figure of Kylo appeared. With astonished expression she watched as he also ordered an alcoholic drink before turning to her. "Are you often here?" "No, we're celebrating the departure of a friend who's going to Australia for a year." "Thank you, the rest is for you," he said nodding towards the bartender as he received his cocktail. "I have to go again..." Rey said hesitantly, looking at the three shots they had between their slender fingers. "Otherwise the ladies might get angry and I don't want to be responsible for that. Have a nice evening, Rey." She nodded away, this time at the edge of the dancing crowd.  
  
"You will not believe..." she began when she arrived at Paige and Rose, who were just leading each other's glasses to their mouths. "What to..." "Hey Rey, I was there when you sent me that message." she suddenly heard the voice of Finn next to her. "Hey," she said delightedly, embracing her long-time friend and roommate. While he sat down next to Rose, Rey noticed for the first time how much Finn's private style of dress differed from many other men. He wore a jacket according to the rules of the club, but it wasn't as elegant as the black she had seen on Kylo minutes before. Why did she suddenly notice such differences, it wasn't the first time that the mutual circle of friends ran out in the evening. So why now, she asked herself, and was torn from her thoughts by Paige's roar. Asking, she looked up and was irritated to find that Rose pulled the visibly surprised Finn with her onto the adjacent dance floor. "Finally," she said smiling towards Rey, who watched with a tender facial expression as the two friends slowly approached the appropriate music.  
  
"If they end up in bed tonight, I won't have a quiet minute this night," Rey realized after watching with Paige how Finn and Rose had started kissing. "Will you sleep with me tonight? I can only offer you the couch, but at least you would have your peace," said the older Tico sister and offered her a key, which she fished out of her little clutch. With one last look at the lovebirds on the dance floor, she grabbed the key. "Thank you Paige, if you don't mind I'll go then," she said and rose at the same time as the black-haired one. "No, go ahead, I'll stay here for my part. Who knows, maybe..." Defensively Rey raised both her hands in the air, whereupon Paige nodded and hugged her friend to say goodbye.  
  
"Where are your two friends?" the older lady in Rey's dressing room wanted to know when she got her leather jacket back. "They're still celebrating, a mutual friend recently joined them." Nodding, she wished her a nice rest of the evening and left the club through the main entrance, where there was still a considerable queue. She kindly waved to the doorman, as Paige had previously called her Chewie, and received a polite nod as a reaction from him. Due to the cool late summer air, she pulled her leather jacket tighter around her slender body while looking for one of the typical yellow cabs. "She heard Kylo's voice behind her and discovered the dark-haired man a few feet away. His hands were hidden in the dark jeans, while his elegant black jacket was covered by a leather jacket, also in black. "No, I will take a taxi, and my girlfriend's apartment is not far away." He frowned and shook his head. "My roommate and my girlfriend..." she began hesitantly before Kylo walked out into the street, affirmatively, raising his hand. Rey was amazed to find that within a few seconds one of the typical yellow taxis stopped right in front of them.  
  
"The gentleman as a whole," Rey smiled as Kylo held the door open for her and let her get in, only to notice in amazement that he sat down next to her. "Where to go" the taxi driver wanted to know. Asking, she looked at her neighbors. "Ladies First." Thankfully she replied to the front: "Madison Avenue, corner 35th." "So you live in Murray Hill." To his astonishment, Rey shook his head. "No, I'm sleeping in a friend's apartment tonight around my roommate and Rose..." She paused and looked nervously at her hands, which lay as usual on her lap. "It's okay to talk openly about it." "I know, but in this area..." "That's what we're going to work on." Surprised by his testimony, she looked at him just to see that his gaze was out. "Do you work on the side, do you study?" "I study and work part-time in a cafe near the university." Nodding, Kylo looked at the display on his smartphone. "I'll send you possible appointments, please let me know which one is right for you. But keep in mind that at the beginning we will see each other three times a week," he explained, looking directly at them at the end. "Three times? she asked astonished. "Yes, you still want the role of the nightingale, don't you? She nodded silently. "You will have to work hard for this role and even harder than many others, because you have to prove to Armitage that you have what it takes - also physically." he replied, looking at her body. "We're here, Madison Avenue, corner 35th," the taxi driver interrupted her conversation. "What's it matter?" Rey began before speechlessly watching Kylo hand the driver a dollar bill forward. "That's right." "Thank you," said the taxi driver before Kylo opened the door for her to leave.  
  
"Aren't you going any further?" she wanted to know after the taxi joined the evening traffic. "No, I like going for a walk in New York at night, maybe I'll visit a friend who lives around here." Nodding she went to the roof of the house. "Have a nice evening, Rey." "Thank you, that's what I wish you and thank you for the taxi." Nodding, Kylo turned away from her and walked away quickly. The young woman watched his silhouette for a few more moments, which moved further and further away, before she went to the large entrance door which was opened by the Coucierge at that moment. "Good evening, Miss Erso." "Good evening, Francois." "Are you visiting Miss Paige and Miss Rose again?" "No, I'm staying here tonight while the two of them probably..." She paused in her sentence when she recognized the smiling expression on the older man's face. "I wish you a good night, Miss Erso." "Thank you, I wish you the same, Francois."  
  
While Rey lay down in the double bed in the spacious guest room of Paiges´Appartment and closed her eyes tiredly to slowly slide over to sleep, Kylo stopped standing just a few streets away from a skyscraper. Looking up, he dialed a phone number on his smartphone and waited. "Hey, it's me. Can I come up?" After receiving a positive answer, he let the cell phone disappear back into his pocket and entered the spacious foyer of the multi-storey building. Using a lift, he went up to the fifteenth floor and immediately entered the entrance area of a luxurious apartment. "Hey, sweetie, I didn't expect to see you today." he heard a female voice before he felt her slender fingers on his chest as they freed him first from his jacket and then from his jacket. "I suddenly felt the need. "How good that I don't expect a male visitor today," she replied as Kylo unbuttoned the buttons of his dark shirt and was elegantly pulled from his shoulders by her fingers. "Hadn't we agreed to stop seeing each other?" she meant with a mocking undertone and went ahead of him. Merely dressed in his black jeans and naked torso, he willingly followed her up the stairs, while she herself was dressed in a white bathrobe completely made of silk.  
  
"That's right, but I need you today," he explained and stopped at a door with her. "You know that it is no longer possible since he and I..." "I am aware of that, so we will keep quiet about today." he announced, while she unlocked the door and a spacious bedroom appeared behind her, on the walls of which various paintings were at home describing naked women and men in the act of procreation. "Kylo Ren, give me your word." "Never again will I lose a word or testify to someone I have visited you." Satisfied, she closed the door and felt his hungry lips on hers. "Show me what you first showed me all those years ago, Phasma!"


	4. If I Be Wrong

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, we will get a view in Kylos world and maybe a little taste of his past.  
I´m happy about every feedback and kudos :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Inspiration: If I Be Wrong - Wolf Larsen

Individual rays of sunlight touched Kylo's features as he awoke. With narrowed eyes he held his forearm protecting his face. Vaguely, he could see the young blonde about to put on her black, elegant pants. "Why are you really here, Kylo?" she asked as she tied her long hair into a knot and dyed her lips red with the corresponding pen. Sighing, the person spoke to drove his way through his fuzzy, thick black hair. "I was at the club yesterday and met Rey." The young woman kept moving, she was just putting on her eyelids and casting a questioning look through the mirror at the lying figure in the double bed. "Rey..." "Rey Erso, the young woman you sent to me." Knowing she nodded, rose and walked to the passage leading into the adjoining bathroom. "By the way, Armitage is thrilled that you're taking her under your wing." Nodding, the black haired man sat up, paused for a few seconds before putting on his jeans and raising them. "Did he tell you why he let Rey of all people play this scene with Dameron? Phasma nodded and accompanied him down the stairs as he put on his white shirt. "When he saw the video of their auditions, he was completely absorbed in their presence." "I always thought that Bazine should play the role of the Nightingale. Wasn't that Snoke's plan?"  
  
Phasma, who was just reaching for his jacket, stopped moving and looked at him with her lips pressed together. " Are the rumors really true?" Nodding, Kylo grabbed the steaming cup filled with fresh coffee and took a sip. "Yes, he wants to make Bazine the big star on Broadway." "Armitage is convinced of Rey, he won't give her the role." "When Bazine learns about it, she will make her life hell, let alone Snoke's," Kylo said with serious expression and thankfully gave Phasma back the empty cup. "Bazine must never learn of Reys hours with me. "How are you going to do that? "I'll let her sign the contract just like my other clients." With shock widened eyes the tall woman looked at him. "You swore never to do that again Kylo! The black haired man pressed his lips together as he grabbed his leather jacket hanging over the elegant chair. "I hope you know what you're doing. There's a lot at stake this time when Armitage finds out..." "You won't tell him anything about the contract, just the tutoring I'm giving her in your name." "Armitage is my husband." she reminded him when both had arrived at the lift. "I know I won't disappoint you. Thank you for the night, Phas," he replied, giving her one last kiss on the cheek before disappearing inside the elevator.  
  
Arriving outside the skyscraper, he raised his hand and boarded the next taxi that had stopped. "To Columbus Circle, please," he instructed the taxi driver while his attention was focused on the display of his smartphone.  
  
**Kylo: "Lor, I need a contract, please." **  
**Lor: "Kylo, we hadn't agreed that you wouldn't need one anymore." **  
**Kylo: "That's correct, yet this is a special case."**  
**Lor: "In what way?"**  
**Kylo: "It's about protecting my client from the leader."**  
**Lor: "I'll send you the contract later this evening."**  
**Kylo: "Thank you, Lor."**  
  
After the black-haired man had handed over his fare to the taxi driver, his gaze wandered outside and saw a familiar figure talking to the coucierge in the foyer of the house where he lived. He quickly left the asphalt between the street and the front door behind him and entered the foyer noisily, whereupon both men looked in his direction. "Ren, I've been looking for you. Where have you been?" the visitor wanted to know from him. Clearing his throat, he nodded to the coucierge and moved towards the three elevators leading to the individual housing units. "I spent the night out," he replied with a cool tone as he entered the elevator leading directly to his apartment. "Are we hunting again, Ren?" "Shut up, Hux!" Kylo replied snappishly, whereupon the redhead looked grinning at the closed doors of the lift. "I've just come from Los Angeles." "What were you doing there?" "I was talking to the studio about a new film project." "I didn't even know that Snoke wanted to produce another film. I thought he specialized in Broadway now," said the taller of the two men in a neutral voice. "I wasn't with Snoke." Surprised, his eyes wandered to the redhead who gave him a light smile.  
  
"No? Then where have you been?" "I was at Outer Rim Productions." With shock widened eyes Kylo watched Hux enter the entrance area of his apartment in front of him. "What? Why? Why?" The redhead moved purposefully towards the fridge and took out a small bottle of mineral water. "He offered Kylo another bottle, which he refused by shaking his head. "Armitage, why are you hiring from the competition of all people" he wanted to know in an annoyed voice after the redhead had settled down on the spacious couch. "Beautiful seat." "Don't get too comfortable, Hux." "Once Hux, then Armitage again. Can you make up your mind?" Frustrated Kylo drove his way through his hair, noticing how much he still had the smell of last night. He urgently had to take a shower before the man across the street noticed what he had done last night. "Why are you here?" "I wanted to visit an old friend. Kylo drove himself through his thick, dark hair again. "I'm tired from last night and would like a shower. If you like, can we have dinner downtown later?" The redhead grinned amusingly at him. "How would it be if you take a shower now and we go to a brunch together afterwards, because I have to tell you about a little girl I met the other day at the audition." Alarmed, Kylo's eyes wandered on the folder, which was always upside down on the coffee table, only a few meters away from Armitage.  
Before he could reach for the folder, the redhead's mobile phone sounded, and he looked at the display and began to smile. "He happily started the conversation and looked at his friend. "Yes, I arrived at JFK an hour ago and thought I would visit Ren," he continued, rising from the couch. While the redhead started wandering around the spacious living room, Kylo grabbed the folder without taking his eyes off Hux. Then he ran up the stairs and locked the bathroom door behind him. Deeply exhaling, his nervous gaze fell on the first page that jumped towards him.  
  
"CONTRACT BETWEEN TEACHER AND STUDENT.  
Every touch, every decision is the responsibility of the teacher and the pupil to find a solution together...". he read with a murmur before he put the folder on the small chest of drawers, then got rid of his robes and got into the shower. The hot water pelted down on his muscular body, it was as if he wanted to wash himself of the deeds of last night. Why did he suddenly feel these feelings of guilt, phasma and he had sex again and again and it was never a problem for him. Even the knowledge of cheating on his best friend had never been a reason not to do it.  
  
_"The connection of two people is sacred, it should never be disturbed by an outsider. God has told us that we should honor the covenant of lovers and not destroy it wantonly"._  
  
Shocked, he opened his eyes and supported himself with his two hands on the black tiles that covered the entire walls of the bathroom. "Why do I suddenly remember her words?" he mumbled in confusion as he reached for the shampoo.  
  
_"What you're doing is wrong, neither your father nor I have ever shown you such behavior. Thou shalt honour God's way, not renounce him."_  
  
"Damn" he exclaimed angrily and brutally struck the wet tile with his flat hand, causing a burning pain in his right wrist. Painfully, he turned the affected hand and looked at his open palm, which turned red because of the strong blow.  
  
_"You have turned away from God by exposing your body to such disgrace."_  
  
No, he could not let the past catch up with him. He had a company with Gwen that he led more than successfully and made a very good life possible for him. "Concentrate," he said while looking at himself in the mirror after he left the shower.  
"You don't treat this woman with the respect she deserves. You treat her like a piece of meat!  
  
No, he never did and everything he had done had happened in agreement with all these women - he had nothing to blame himself for. In all those years there had never been a touch of remorse, so why now? He had decided for this path all these years ago and he would be stupid not to continue it. Shaking his head over his own thoughts, he left the bathroom and dressed for lunch.  
  
"Can we go?" his red-haired friend wanted to know when he ran down the stairs a little later. "Where are we going, Armitage?" he replied as they left the apartment. "To a cafe, I want to show you someone," Hux explained after they had stepped onto the crowded street and boarded a taxi. Partly irritated by the secrecy, Kylo watched the streets pass him while Hux telephoned next to him on business. As they left Central Park, the black haired man only now noticed the part of town they had just reached. "Armitage, what are you doing?" The person addressed looked up surprised by his smartphone. "Oh, didn't I tell you the cafe was on the Upper East Side?" "No, you didn't!" Armitage, you know that I basically avoid this area here," Kylo said, trying not to lose his temper. "I know, but I can't even change the fact that she works here." "You?" "The woman I want to show you." "The taxi driver, with an audible Spanish accent, interrupted her conversation. While the black-haired man entered the street with an increased heartbeat, his friend paid for the ride in the meantime and then joined him on the sidewalk, which was flanked by many people. "This is a bad joke," Kylo muttered quietly as he stood at the corner of the intersection and wandered his eyes to the nearby church, which was in the adjacent crossroads.  
  
"So overcome the first shock of being back in your home district?" he heard the amusing voice of Armitage behind him, whereupon he turned to it. "Don't be stupid, tell me where this cafe is?" Silently, he pointed to the opposite side, where on the corner there was a cafe he was all too familiar with. "He said quietly and felt the confused expression on his friend's face. "Everything okay, Kylo?" "Yes, yes. Then show me the mysterious woman you were talking about," he replied and briskly crossed the pedestrian crossings of 3rd Avenue. Directly behind the redhead he entered the small cafe and looked around carefully. Relieved, he first noticed that no faces were known to him before he felt his friend's firm grip on his forearm. "Here she is," he heard his soft voice and looked questioningly from the redhead towards the cash desk. As soon as he had seen the young employees behind the counter, the black-haired man threatened to lose his air. "Find us a place, in the meantime I'll order us some coffee." Only capable of an affirmative nod, Kylo turned away from the bar area at the very moment when the view of the young woman concerned turned in his direction.  
  
What was all this, why was she following him around? "Hey Kylo," he heard Hux's voice dull after settling down in a corner. Striving to create a neutral facial expression, he looked up and looked into her surprised face. "Rey, may I introduce my friend Kylo Ren," he said to the young woman holding in her hands a tray of two steaming coffee cups. Unconsciously, the black-haired man rose and took the tray out of her hands. "Kylo, this is the young woman who wanted you to meet, Rey Erso." "Pleased to meet you, Miss Erso," he explained in a polite voice as he placed the two cups on the dark wooden table. "Me too, Mr. Ren," she replied with a soft, friendly voice before both men settled down. "Rey has applied for the role of the nightingale in the theatre." Nodding, the young employee of the cafes hardly dared to look him in the eye. "That's beautiful." "Yes, since I see a talent in her, I would like her to be able to work on her deficits. He asked "deficits" with a surprised tone. "Rey, you must know that my friend here works with the human body in a unique way. It would be just the right help for you." Before Rey could answer, Kylo cleared his throat discreetly. "You know, my schedule's bulging." "I'm aware of that, but you wouldn't just do your boyfriend a favor but give this young lady a big chance." Sighing Kylo looked at Rey, who looked at him with pressed lips. With her cramped posture he could just feel her nervousness.  
  
"All right, call me here tomorrow," he concluded, pulling out a business card from the inside pocket of his leather jacket and giving it to her. "Thank you very much, I will Mister Ren." Visibly pleased, the redhead clapped his hands while Kylo drank carefully from his cup. "Rey, please come," it sounded from the counter. "Please excuse me, please, Mr. Hux." She paused briefly and looked in Kylos direction. "Mr. Ren." She did not wait for his reaction, but fled back to her colleagues.  
  
"What the hell was that?" Kylo hissed at him as soon as the young woman was out of earshot. "What do you mean? "Why couldn't you ask me at home, why in front of her?" "Because I knew you would never say yes." Annoyed, the black-haired man twisted his eyes. "You know I haven't done sessions like this since..." "Listen to me Ren, there's a good reason why I did this." Frowning he put the cup down and leaned back. "Then let's hear it." "I really want Rey to get the role of nightingale." "But, shouldn't Bazine play the role..." Kylo started irritated although he already knew about Phasma. "I don't want to dance to his tune anymore, I finally want to do my own thing and if Bazine has the leading role, that won't be possible for me." "Is that why you met with the production company in L.A.?" Armitage nodded before taking a sip of his coffee. "Rey has an indescribable talent, without which she's ever been to an institute like Straßberg or anything." "Not?" He shook his head. "No, but she might have an extreme problem with physical closeness. Unlike the others, all before Bazine, she obviously had a problem with Poe." Kylo grinned into his cup, whereupon his opposite shook his head. "I know you and Poe..." "Let's not do that. For the sake of our friendship, I will take care of them. I'm just as interested in salinizing the old man's soup as I am in salinizing your soup." Satisfied, Hux nodded, protested to him and together they emptied their coffee cups. Since the redhead sat with his back to the counter, he didn't notice how Rey's worried look lay on the two men. Unlike Kylo, who gave her one last look before they left the cafe a little later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks to deepL for the translation help :)


	5. Back Of My Mind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a first lesson between Kylo and Rey, small steps, thoughts of Kylo and a new character enters the stage - have fun :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Inspiration: Back Of My Mind - Two Feet

**"I can offer today at 5:30 p.m."**  
  
Rey looked thoughtfully at the display of her smartphone in front of her while the students in the library were looking for her books. After reading the message, she put the cell phone away and tried to concentrate on the open book in front of her. After a few seconds, her eyes wandered to the small device whose display was dark.  
  
_"Remember Rachel, when you start something, you have to go through with it!"_  
  
Sighing, she reached for the smartphone and wrote her answer.  
  
**"Is it okay, where?"**  
  
As soon as she wanted to put the smartphone aside, she already saw his feedback.  
  
**"In my apartment. K."**  
  
Nodding she put the mobile phone aside and tried to concentrate again on the book page in front of her. She had to finish the chapter today to take the exam. Without it she would never be able to stop working in the cafe to pay her part of the rent.  
  
_"I can do your part anytime, Peanut." "I know Finn, but I don't want to be dependent on anyone. You know why."_

His gaze had been compassionate, whereupon he had retired nodding.  
  
"Miss Erso?"  
Asking, she looked up into the face of a young girl who was estimated to be just eighteen years old. "Yes? asked Rey with a polite tone of voice. "I need a book on Professor Skywalker's introductory course, please." Nodding, she reached for a list on the mahogany table a little away. "Your name, please?" "Anita Wexley." After she put her name on the list, she rose and disappeared into the back rows of books. A little later she returned with the desired book and presented it to the young girl. "Thank you, Miss Erso." "Rey please, if you need anything I'm always here in the morning" she explained, while Anita confirmed the takeover in writing. "Thank you, Rey," she said goodbye and hurried out of the library with the book under her arm.  
"Rey." Smiling, she looked at a young woman with dark, long hair, who put a book on her counter. "I'm done, thank the professor very much." Nodding, she took the reading and looked for the name of her counterpart on the loan list. Found she showed her the line where the woman signed with Karen Antilles. While she herself kept writing notes in her pad so that she could learn what she had read at home, students kept coming to her to borrow or return books.  
  
"How did you get on with the material?" a distinctive voice heard itself at some point behind itself. "Quite well," she replied, closing the book that she had been eagerly studying for the last few hours. "I missed you in my lecture today". "I know, but I had to step in for a colleague in the cafe today," she apologized as she put her notepad inside her backpack, followed by a shaking pencil. "If it gets too much for you..." began the man with the gray hair who had now stepped next to her. She shook her head defensively as she rose from her seat. "No, it's all right. Tomorrow I will be there again. "Rey..." Hesitantly she looked up, directly into the full bearded face. "Think about my offer again." "Luke, you've already done so much for me - much more than I could ever expect." Nodding, he let the young woman step back from the bar area before he sat down on the chair where she had sat herself earlier. "What are you up to today" he wanted to know from her while he took a look at the current loan list. "I'm still seeing a friend." "Then I wish you a lot of fun, until tomorrow Rey." Before the brown-haired girl could answer, a student had already approached the counter. "Professor Skywalker began and took a quick look at RIchtung Rey before she nodded away and left the library.  
  
With her backpack she left the library building and went to the area where various bicycles were standing. She quickly freed her own from the security lock, professionally fastened her backpack behind her saddle and quickly joined the flowing traffic. About two miles and fifteen minutes later she had arrived in front of the house in Hell´s Kitchen and entered the lobby of the house by bicycle. "Where would you like to go, miss?" "To Mister Ren. In the meantime, can you put the bike down where? "Wait a moment, please," the man behind the counter instructed her, while Rey took off her bicycle helmet. "Mr. Ren, there's a visitor for you, Miss..." he said in the phone and then looked over at her questioningly. "Erso, Rey Erso." "Miss Erso...of course, there's a room designated for that, thank you Mr. Ren." As soon as he had hung up, he stepped out behind the counter. "Please come with me." She quickly followed him to a door only a few metres away. "This is the bicycle room, Mr Ren has instructed me to tell you that you may always park your bicycle here when you visit him. "She simply replied and placed her simple bike next to an elegant black mountain bike.  
  
Arriving at the top, she rang the doorbell and looked nervously at her bicycle helmet, which she held in her right hand. The noisy opening of the massive door made her look up and saw Kylo in the door frame. Unlike the last time, this time he wore simple sweatpants and a matching black polo shirt. Although he was fully clothed, his muscular chest was clearly visible. "He greeted her and stepped aside so she could enter. "Hello Kylo," she replied after he closed the door behind her while she took her backpack off her back. "Where may I...?" "You are welcome to leave your things here," he explained, pointing to the chest of drawers below the woman's nude picture. "Thank you" she said politely and put her bicycle helmet next to the backpack. After she had put her shoes neatly down, she followed Kylo into the apartment, which had already preceded. As expected, she met him in the living room, where he stood by the window front. Since he looked down on the street and thus with his back to her, she could look at his silhouette in peace. He had buried both his hands in his trouser pocket, astonished she noticed that he stood barefoot on the parquet floor.  
  
Uncertainly, she looked around and discovered a large painting opposite the spacious couch. "The Triumph of the Swan." she mumbled, and Kylo turned to her. "You know this painting?" Nodding, she looked at it as the black-haired man stood next to her. "Yes, I've seen it in a textbook on art history." "Then you know who painted it?" "I think it was painted by Leon Francois Comerre." Nodding, Kylo turned away from the painting and her, which also caused Rey to turn around and realized that the black haired man was settling on the couch.  
  
"If you remember, the last time I spoke of a contract being made between you and me. It should provide you with a foundation for our mutual trust. He comes from my lawyer, he has offered that we go through him together with him in the office, if you want that." Nodding, she let her gaze wander across the lines and could read a name and telephone number. "That's the address of his office, you can make an appointment with him at any time." "I'll take my time to look at him at home and then decide." Understanding Kylo rose and stepped back a few steps. "Did you bring any robes for training, as I wrote you yesterday?" "Well, then you can change in the bathroom right next to the entrance, I'll prepare everything in the meantime." Without waiting for her reaction, he ran up the stairs before Rey stepped back and disappeared with her backpack in the bathroom mentioned. It was a little smaller than the one above that according to Kylo's testimony was his personal bathroom. Not to waste any time, she got rid of her dark jeans and her light blue blouse to exchange them for a black leggings and a black, sleeveless T-shirt. Then she loosened her long brown hair, braided it to his braid on the side, and then put it into a wreath.  
  
After she had finished moving, she placed the backpack on the chest of drawers again and met Kylo again in the living room, who in the meantime had unrolled two training folders on the wooden floor. She asked "Are we doing yoga?" frowning, while Kylo pulled down the blinds in front of the windows one after the other and darkened the living room noticeably. He said, "Pick out a mat and sit down," while he was there. Nodding, the young woman sat cross-legged and put her arms on her thighs. "I value privacy, so I like to work with my clients away from possible looks," he explained after the blinds had almost reached the floor. Despite the blinds, the room was not completely dark, so she could clearly see Kylo's contours. Silently, she watched as he settled opposite her, almost silently.  
  
"The first lesson, the prerequisite for successful cooperation, is basic trust and that is exactly what we want to achieve today. he began and looked at her through the darkness. "Close your eyes and do exactly what I tell you." "All right," she replied and did as she was told. "Breathe deeply in and out, make sure that you become calm, I go myself to find your inner center. Forget any thoughts and any fear, be free". As she began to breathe in and out deeply, she could hear acoustically as he did her. After a few seconds Rey actually noticed how she was surrounded by inner peace. "All right, now turn your hands so that the palm of your hand is open to the top. After a few seconds, she heard his throat clear before he continued: "I'm going to touch you now, please don't be scared and don't be afraid". She didn't know why, but she nodded automatically to first feel the gentle touch of individual fingertips the next moment and then his two palms on hers. "Keep breathing in and out calmly, I won't hurt you," he said as he perceived her accelerated breath and closed his hands around her wrists.  
  
"I feel through your pulse, every excitement and sensation. Tell me what worries you, Rey." She breathed deeply and replied: "As soon as I close my eyes, I feel at the mercy of the environment. This feeling frightens me. "This is understandable, for the eyes lead us through the world, connect with our mind. But in order to gain trust, you must learn to allow other people to touch you even in the dark. "That is..." "...easier than done, yes Rey, that's it" he finished her sentence and let go of both wrists immediately. "Turn around so you can find yourself with your back to my present position." "Shall I keep my eyes closed?" she wanted to know. "If it is easier for you to take your new position, you may open it. The only important thing is that they are closed as soon as you have your back to me." Nodding, she did what he called her, opening her eyes and astonished to find that Kylos eyes were still closed. He, for his part, trusted her completely, for his arms lay loosely on his crossed legs. As soon as she had turned her back towards him, she closed her eyes deeply inhaling. "Ready," she said quietly. "Good, then we'll move on." Before she could react to his words, she felt his fingers lay around her upper arms and slowly but powerfully pulled her back. With a surprised breath, she found her back right back to his muscular chest, clearly feeling his breath on her neck.  
  
"I'm close to you now, how do you feel?" she heard him speak quietly as his fingertips carefully stroked up the skin of her two upper arms, giving Rey goosebumps. "Cold, but she's not uncomfortable," the young woman mumbled, whereupon his fingertips wandered down towards her elbows and then further down to her wrists. Due to his movements, she could also feel his body more at her back, as his muscles were partially tense. "Will the goose bumps get worse if I continue?" he whispered into her left ear, his fingers again searching their way towards her upper arms. "Yes and no," she mumbled shaking her head. "Should I stop?" His touches now concentrated on her shoulder and the contours of her collarbone. Unconsciously, Rey leaned back and hit his body directly. Kylo's eyes wandered from her clavicle up to her high cheekbones, her closed eyes to eventually land on her partly open lips. With pressed lips he pulled his hands back and caused Reys eyes to open in amazement. "That was already very good," Kylo said clearing his throat and rose, so the young woman sat alone on the mat.  
  
Irritated she looked around and noticed an unprecedented feeling in her. While Kylo pushed the roller shutters up again, allowing the natural afternoon light in, Rey rose and nervously stroked a loosened strand from her face. "Are we done for today?" His back turned towards her, she could only recognize his nod as an answer. "Well, can I take a shower?" "You'll find everything you need in the bathroom up front," he said with a neutral tone, his face always turned away from her. "Thank you" she said and hurried towards the entrance corridor. As soon as Rey had disappeared from the living room area, Kylo closed his eyes tortured and lowered his head.  
  
_What were these feelings, why do I feel attracted to her?_  
  
Touching her skin alone, on a relatively superficial level, caused goose bumps deep inside him that no woman had ever caused before. So why her now, what was different about Rey Erso?  
  
"Kylo" the said young woman suddenly cried out loud and ripped him out of his confused thoughts. "Yes? he answered questioningly. "Can I please get a bath towel, I can't find one here! "Damn," he mumbled and at the same time twisted his eyes, annoyed. "Wait, I'll bring you one! Quickly he ran up the stairs, literally plunged into his own bathroom, which was just above that of the entrance area and reached for the first bath towel that fell into his hands. After he put the white cotton bath towel in front of her door, he knocked lightly on the door and then moved back towards the living room. As soon as he had settled down on the couch, he heard clearly how hesitantly the bathroom door was opened. "Thank you" she exclaimed before the door closed again. Sighing, Kylo leafed through the contract again, shook his head before angrily tearing the pages out of the loose-leaf binder and destroying the individual pages of the contract into shreds of paper. After the last page was also destroyed, he leaned back, breathing heavily, looking at his work.  
  
"Was there anything wrong with the contract," Rey asked gently, after which Kylo just shook his head and rose. "Just email me another copy and I'll print it out at home," she suggested as she handed him the used towel, her backpack already on her back, the bicycle helmet in her hands waiting for his use. "No, that won't be necessary," he simply said and accompanied her to the front door. "But..." "For our next appointment, you'll need swimwear." "She asked, smiling, whereupon he replied with a light smile: "Not quite, I wish you a good journey home." "So long," she said goodbye waving and ran down the hallway towards the elevator. Back in the living room, he reached for his smartphone that had been lying on the kitchen sideboard and wrote a message.  
  
**"Gwen, I can't do this."**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> with thanks to deepL for the help


	6. Waves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We get a first insight into kylos past and a little explanation of his behavior.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Inspiration: Waves - Dean Lewis

  
With a thoughtful look Kylo stood in front of the grave, his eyes covered by sunglasses lay on the withered flowers in the stone vase. How long no one might have been here, he asked himself, looking at the fresh bouquet of carnations he had just bought. Conscientiously he exchanged the withered flowers for the carnations and carefully touched the tombstone.   
"I knew I'd find you here," said Phasma, who approached the tomb. "You know me like no other person in the world," he replied as he came to her and then disappeared his hands in the depths of his dark sweater.   
  
"You know it doesn't have to be the same with Rey as it was with her," said the woman with the shoulder-length blonde hair. "I know, but I still feel something in her presence that I haven't felt in a long time. His gaze was still fixed on the grave in front of him. "What do you feel? "Affection. Phasma sighed heavily and gently touched his upper arm. "You are afraid that Snoke might find out and use it against you? "I don't care about myself, but I don't want him to force me to manipulate her as he did then..." "She finished his sentence and also looked at the gravestone where I stood capital letters:  
  
"KIRA KENOBI"  
  
"They never forgave me for what I did to her back then. Not to mention old Ben." "Kylo, we finally have the chance. Armitage wants to see him bleed for what he did back then..." The black haired man pressed his lips together while his right hand formed a fist. "I go on, for you - but Armitage can't tell anyone about my hours with Rey - nobody, don't think about what will happen when Bazine finds out about it! She took a deep breath before nodding her consent. "Then you have to talk to Rey and explain to her that she can't tell anyone about you or your cooperation." "I already have." "Think she'll stick to it?" Gwen wanted to know about him and looked at him. "I hope so, for your sake," he replied, turning away from the grave and moving towards the exit of the cemetery. Gwen Kylo followed out with a final, sad look towards the grave.   
  
"She suggested her boyfriend and he looked up with his head down. Nodding, he silently followed her to a park bench and settled down. "I think it's very peaceful here." "You're on a cemetery here, Gwen. You can't expect anything else here." he said eye twisting. "You know exactly what I mean. In Manhattan it's always loud, you can hardly find a place to rest". "I keep forgetting that you grew up in the Bronx." "Unlike you, until I was eighteen years old I never saw anything but the streets of Claremont and the surrounding area." Thoughtfully Kylo looked at the woman in front of her and gently touched her hand. "For you, Snoke was the rescue then, wasn't she? Rejecting, she pulled her hand out from under him and looked out at the lake. "You also sound bad from today's point of view, but yes he was the hand that got me out of that swamp then."   
  
"He has taken us all out of unbearable situations and shaped us as he pleases." "Unlike Kira, we survived," Gwen said quietly, lowering her head. Compassionately he put an arm around the young woman's shoulder and pulled her towards him. "Don't forget that you first met Armitage through him." Laughing she nodded and looked at him. "Not to forget you." Smiling, Kylo shook her head. "Why did you get involved with Bazine back then, Kylo?" The black-haired man looked sighing into the distance, where he could watch some swans doing their mischief on the lake. "Snoke's manipulation had progressed so far that I didn't deny anything or even question what he demanded of me. He was of the opinion that I should not only concentrate on Kira, but also on his daughter". "She was only sixteen years old at the time and still went to school. Kylo nodded and drove his way through his full hair. "Right, I didn't want to at first either, but one evening suddenly she stood there and was completely desperate. Since I didn't want to fall from grace, of course, I let her in. We only had sex once, but somehow Kira found out about it and the rest..." He paused and breathed deeply.   
  
"After Kira...left, I felt very bad and Bazine was there for me for the next five years." "Of course not for her own benefit." "I think I lost the last of the rest of my old self back then." While Kylo looked far into the distance, he didn't notice Gwen's eyes widening and nodding instantly. "But after all those years now, with Rey, I felt something again that I didn't even feel with Kira." The sound of a ringing tone interrupted the emotional conversation of the two friends. "That's mine," Gwen recognized and looked questioningly at the display. "Armitage" she said with a look towards Kylo, waiting to see the lake.   
  
"What? Alarmed, the black-haired man turned to the blonde, who looked anxiously at him. "Kylo and I are on our way, see you later!" As soon as she had finished her phone call, she jumped up and ran in the direction of the exit. "What happened? "Mitaka learned from Los Angeles that Snoke wanted to get personally involved in Broadway production. He'll be here in three weeks when rehearsals start for the play." "That was certainly Bazine, as Armitage won't give her the lead role of the nightingale," Kylo conjectured and received an affirmative nod from Gwen as they ran to a taxi.   
  
"Downtown Manhattan, please." Kylo instructed the cabdriver while Gwen looked nervously out the window next to him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> with thanks to deepL.


	7. Come Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey feels once again lost to the new relationship between Rose and Finn and the related problems for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for delay  
Song Inspiration: Come Away - Sons Of The East

"Rey, could you take the shift for me today?" heard the rose ask, sitting on a chair right behind her. She was one of the last students to enter the lecture hall when the signal for the new lesson sounded. "Why?" she asked confusedly backwards. "Finn has to work a double shift at short notice tomorrow and therefore only has time tonight. Frowning, she glanced at the teacher's table, which was still unoccupied. "I don't know anything about that." "Rose explained, pointing to the smartphone in her left hand. "Actually, I have something planned today, Rose," Rey began when the door was closed loudly.  
  
"So, now everyone's hopefully awake." the professor's voice began after he stepped behind his teacher's desk. "I can't sleep with your talk anyway," the student mumbled next to Rose, whereupon she looked at him angrily and managed to get the young man to concentrate on the lecturer, clearing his throat. "Please Rey, it's really important!"  
  
"Today we will deal with the subject of chastity and lust." A loud murmur and laughter found their way, whereupon Rey irritates again from Rose towards the professor.  
"Rose, I have to make my appointment first..." she began and was interrupted with a throat: "Miss Tico, Miss Erso, don't you want us all to take part in your conversation? Or does this perhaps have time until after my lessons?" the gray-bearded man wanted to know in front, with a serious voice. "Excuse me, Professor Skywalker. It was my fault," Rose replied with a lowered gaze, forming a silent apology towards Rey. "Well, since we would have cleared that up, let's get started."  
  
After the end of the session, which Rey had left behind with great discomfort, she packed up her learning materials and rose from her seat with all the other students. "Rey, I beg you. Finn and I haven't seen each other in almost a week." she heard Rose's voice again behind her as she walked down the stairs. "Yes Rose, I will call you about that right away and then inform you. All right?" Nodding, she looked back at the display of her smartphone and looked apologetically at Rey, who smiled at her understandingly. "See you later! "Miss Erso!" Asking, she looked from her girlfriend who disappeared in the crowd of other students to the professor. "Yes Professor Skywalker?" "Is everything all right?" Confused, Rey shook his head. "What do you mean? "I had to admonish you today, is everything between you and Miss Tico..." "Oh, that, everything's fine. She and my roommate Finn have been together for a short time and she wanted to ask me if I could swap shifts with her in the cafe." Smiling, the bearded man turned away from her and looked at the opened books. "If the work in the library becomes too much for you, Rey," he began hesitantly, but she shook her head.  
  
"No, it's all good." "Really?" "Yes, Luke." she said quietly, looking at the students who were now entering the lecture hall for the next hour. Nodding, he turned away and gave his full attention to another student. She quickly left the spacious room and entered a large common room, where the students had the opportunity to learn in peace. After settling in a corner, she put down her books and took her smartphone out of her pocket. She hoped he wouldn't be too angry because they had already had to reschedule twice - both times important things had come up.  
  
"Since I'm changing shifts with my girlfriend in the cafe at short notice, I can't come to our appointment today. Can we postpone it again instead?  
Since she did not expect an answer immediately, after all it was just after eleven o'clock in the morning, she opened the book on dramaturgy and noted down some facts from the new chapter she had been dealing with recently. The sound of an incoming message made her look up from her notepad and then grab her smartphone.  
  
**"When do you have to be at university tomorrow?" **  
**Frowning, she put her pen to one side and wrote back:**  
**"I don't have a lecture until two in the afternoon tomorrow."**  
  
He didn't have to know that she actually started her shift in the local library tomorrow at two o'clock.  
  
**"When will you be done with your shift today?" **  
**"Around ten o'clock in the evening, why?" **  
**"I'll pick you up, see you later! K."**  
  
Shaking her head, she reviewed the written conversation. How did it happen that she not only took over Rose's shift today, but was still supposed to meet Kylo afterwards? Sighing, she opened her backpack, where the bathing clothes laughed at her. "She murmured and put her books on it, "Looks like you'll still be in action today.  
"Rey." Annoyed inwardly, trying not to let anything show on the outside, she looked up, directly into Rose's questioning face. "I'll take your shift." Before she could react, her friend bent down to her and pulled her into a warm embrace. "Thank you, Rey." "No problem, I'm happy when Finn and you..." she started and was confronted with her cheerful facial expression. "...when you both really get together." "Yes, he is so warm-hearted and kind. No matter how much I talk, he always gives me the feeling to listen to me." "Yes, that's Finn" the brunette replied with a smile. "Would it be too much to ask if you tonight..." "No, I still have Paige's apartment key," Rey shook her head, ended her question, grabbed her backpack and rose. "I have to go then." "Sure, thanks again Rey," Rose shouted after her before she left the foyer for the road.  
  
An hour later she stood in her bedroom in the shared apartment of Finn and her. Thoughtfully, she looked inside the room and then looked at the display on her smartphone that she was holding.  
  
**"Paige, since Rose and Finn are dating again, could I spend the night in your apartment again tonight?"**  
**"Yes, of course! I wanted to ask you anyway if you would like to use it in my absence - rent free, of course". **  
**"You mean whether I want to move in? Did Rose write anything?"**  
**"Yes, Rey." **  
**"What did she write to you?**  
**"She secretly wants more privacy with Finn, but doesn't dare tell you."**  
  
Shocked and amazed at the same time, she repeatedly read Paige's last message. She had already noticed several times that her best friend had distanced herself from her several times recently. She had always thought it was her jealousy, as Finn and Rey had been very close since childhood. The policeman had lived with his grandmother, who had been her mother's neighbour Jyn Erso.

  
**"I have no romantic feelings whatsoever for Finn, Rose." **  
**"So you don't mind if Finn and I get together?" **  
**"No, not at all." **  
**"Think about my offer. I know how much you always liked our apartment. As I mentioned when I said goodbye, you can use all my wardrobe I left in New York."**

  
She couldn't deny that she liked Paige's apartment. It was extremely spacious and had previously served as the common home of the Tico sisters. Since Paige had gone to Australia, Rose had been staying more with Finn and her. She had known her friend since her last high school year, when Paige and Rose's parents had moved to Manhattan. A few months later the parents of both had divorced. As a consequence and due to Paige's majority, Rose had stayed with her in the apartment, as she did not want to live with a parent.  
Although the young brunette was heartily happy for her roommate and best friend, she had not missed the fact that she felt more and more like the third wheel of the car during her joint ventures. A feeling that Rey was getting more and more troubled. Nodding, making a decision, she typed in her answer before going to the neighboring bathroom with her bathrobe in her hand.

  
**"I accept your offer, Paige."**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> with thanks to deepL.com


	8. Tin Lover

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you know what, after the last two weeks without any update, I decide to give you another new chapter today.   
Ehm..yeah, we gonna move forward and the connection between Kylo and Rey goes step by step closer.. constantly. If you know what I mean ;)
> 
> Song Inspiration: Tin Lover - The Paper Kites (I love that song so much btw)

"Why are you here again today?" Kaydel wanted to know when Rey showed up at the cafe around five in the afternoon. "I swapped shifts with Rose." Confused, the young woman looked at her while she pulled her green apron over her head and fixed it around her hip. "She wanted to meet Finn because he had an unexpected evening off tonight," Rey explained, earning a pitiful look from the young colleague. "Let me guess, you can sleep out again tonight." While the brunette stood behind the counter, she nodded affirmatively. "I would be really angry in your place meanwhile that I am thrown again and again from my own four walls, only so that the lovebirds..." "Kaydel" said Rey with a shocked expression on her face, but she waved it off. "I would have looked for a new roommate or a new place to stay myself if I were you." With a polite smile she presented a customer with his order. "I've already thought of the second." "And? With a slight grin, she let a load of coffee flow into the cup in her hand before closing it with a lid and placing it on the surface of the counter for the waiting customer. "You already have something in store, don't you?" "Paige offered to live in her apartment for the time of her absence." "Is this the Appartement while handing over a cappuccino to another customer, she nodded again.   
  
"Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Rey, take it now. If you don't, I'll do it for you!" Laughing at Kaydel's reaction to the offer, she gave the customer his change back in front of her and friendly wished him a nice day as she turned to her colleague. "I accepted, but please keep it for yourself. Neither Rose nor Finn know about it." The young woman nodded quickly with her red-brown hair tied together. "Girls, we have a little something to discuss. Jason will represent you at the front," sounded the nasty voice of her superior. With uncertain looks Rey and Kaydel looked at each other before they changed places with the young man who had only worked a few weeks in the cafe and followed the small man back into the office. "Close the door, Kaydel, please," he said after she entered the room where there was a desk as well as some filing cabinets. Frowning, the person spoke to did as she ordered. "Rey asked "Mister Plutt? cautiously as he visibly nervously drove over his non-existent beard. "I'll tell you what it's like - I got a very generous offer for the cafe a few days ago." "What? Why, what does that mean for us now?" "I can't tell you that, but I couldn't say no." Stirred up, Kaydel wanted to say something about it, but was held back by Rey, who touched her forearm carefully and shook her head silently. "When will we meet the new owner" she wanted to know with a calm voice instead. "Next Friday, during the afternoon shift. Now get out, I still have a lot to do for the upcoming handover. Just so you know, I'll be gone in half an hour."   
  
Nodding, Rey pulled the speechless Kaydel on her forearm out into the service room. "What is this, why is he doing this?" "Rey suspected because she was the only one who knew that the Scot had gotten involved with the wrong people some time ago to keep the cafe financially afloat. "Or he wants to get out of town." "Or both?" she replied to Kaydel with a slight grin, whereupon she burst out laughing loudly, before they devoted themselves again to the customers in front of her.   
  
"Hey Rey." Asking, the woman looked up from the counter and looked into the friendly face of her roommate. "Finn. "Can I talk to you privately for a moment?" Asking, she looked at Kaydel, who was handing over his coffee cup to another customer. "Go ahead," she said briefly, after which the brunette followed the man in his police uniform outside, where the street lighting of the late evening was reflected in the puddles of rain. She wanted to know "I can't stay long, what's going on" as the passers-by walked past them. "Rose told me she talked to Paige." he hesitantly began, whereupon Rey shook his head with a smile. "I really wouldn't have believed Rose to do that." "Rey, come on..." "Don't worry, as soon as I find time, I'll clear out the bedroom and take my things to Paige's apartment." "Peanut, please." His voice was begging, but Rey raised her right hand defensively. "It's all right, Finn." "I'm sorry it went this way." Both friends looked at each other for a moment before the young woman nodded away from him and disappeared inside the cafe again.  
  
While the two were talking, Kylo got out of the taxi on the other side. After paying the driver for his ride, he raised his head and saw Rey talking to a policeman. Due to her defensive posture and the visibly affected look of the man, the conversation could not be cheerful. Observing, he let his two hands slide into his jacket pocket while Rey nodded goodbye to the policeman and entered the cafe directly behind a customer. The policeman lowered his head for a few seconds before breathing deeply and walking away. With one last look at the man in the uniform, Kylo crossed the street, held the door open for a female customer and stepped into the cafe behind him.   
  
"That´s a guy Rey, who was cleaning the coffee machine with her back to the counter, heard Kaydel's voice true. She looked irritated at her colleague, who was looking straight at her with an astonished look. "Oh my God, he's coming right at us." Frowning at her reaction, she turned around and found herself facing the omnynose customer. Smiling, he put his own coffee mug on the counter. "Hello Rey, I'd like a cup of black coffee, please." "Hello Kylo, you're too early. I have half an hour left," she said as she took the container and filled the black haired man with his desired hot drink. "I was in the area and will be waiting for you back here while I dedicate my book," he said, giving Kaydel a friendly smile and pulling himself back into a quiet corner with the mug in his hand.  
  
"Who the hell is that?" Kaydel asked quietly, while Rey continued to dedicate himself to cleaning the big coffee machine. "This is Kylo, I met him recently." "Is he picking you up on a date?" The young woman couldn't hide her obvious curiosity as she kept looking at the black-haired man absorbed in his reading. "No. "Then why is he here?" Frustrated, the brunette gave her colleague an annoyed look, whereupon she raised her two arms defending herself and left her alone. Although Rey was busy with the regular arrival of new customers, she couldn't prevent her gaze from wandering back and forth to Kylo, who was engrossed in his book whenever she looked over. With a concentrated look, he studied the lines in front of him, occasionally frowning irritatedly at his forehead before turning the pages. "May I ask him out on a date if you don't?" she heard Kaydel's voice behind her as she caught Rey watching. "No," she exclaimed quietly, but it was already too late when the young woman walked to the guest with the pot in her hand. While Rey put the last piece of Cookie of a young woman, who had ordered a cocoa on the side, into a small box, she saw from the corner of her eye how Kaydel talked to Kylo. He leaned back and looked at the creature in front of him. "She heard her customer's voice, whereupon Rey nodded with a smile and put the money she had received into the cash register.   
  
"Be careful." Kaydel said after she stepped next to Rey. Due to the angry expression on her face, the brunette assumed that her colleague had not been successful in her endeavor. "No luck?" "No, I should have listened to you." Asking, Reys glanced up at Kylo, who briefly looked up from his book. "What happened? "I just asked him out for a date." "How did he react? "He said I shouldn't ask if he came for you and it wasn't appropriate. I'll be off, I'll see you on Saturday," Kaydel said with an offended tone before she disappeared angrily into the back of the cafe. Shortly afterwards she returned, now without the green apron, instead with her bag on her shoulder and stood in front of Rey. "I'm sorry," she said and presented her with a categorical tea at the end of her shift. "No problem, I should have just listened to you." Kaydel said with a light smile. "Come home safely, Kaydel," Rey replied to her colleague who nodded and turned around, casting a brief angry look towards Kylo, who had been watching the scene, leaving the cafe quickly.  
"What did you tell her?" Rey wanted to know from him as soon as Kylo came to her at the counter. "That it's rude to ask anyone for a date when she knows I'm here because of you." The brunette looked at the black haired one in front of her with a light smile. "She thought we had a date and then asked me if I would mind if she asked you about it." Kylo shook his head and put his book on the counter. "Tchaikovsky" she said in surprise. "Yes, do you know it?" Negatively, she took a look at the watch that was already showing shortly before eleven o'clock in the evening. She exclaimed in a friendly tone, "We'll shut up soon", and the few people present rose from their seats and said goodbye. "Why Tchaikovsky?" she wanted to know from him after conscientiously closing the cafe. "In my opinion, there is no other author who explores the human abyss in the way Tchaikovsky does. She nodded in agreement with him and finally looked at him. "So, what do we do now?" "We're going swimming now." he announced and put his reading material in the back pocket of his jeans. "Now? Do you know what time it is already, I doubt that a swimming pool is still open now," she said in disbelief as she looked around. When he didn't answer her, she turned to him again and raised her eyebrows in confusion as he began to grin. "Don't tell me now that your apartment complex has a swimming pool as well as a training area." "He replied, stepping out into the street and raising his hand. "I can't believe it," Rey muttered as she stood a little later in a room where she recognized a lit pool through a glass door.   
  
"There are separate rooms for women and men, where you can change in peace. I'll wait for you inside," Kylo explained before disappearing into the area that was intended for the men. Nodding, Rey entered the room behind the door where the symbol for women was depicted. Behind it, an extremely comfortable room came to light, with towels among other things. Kylo undoubtedly lived in a house whose inhabitants were probably used to luxury. There was no other explanation for why a house had its own pool in addition to a training area. Don't worry so much, she thought, looking briefly at herself in the mirror after putting on her black swimsuit. She took a deep breath once, reached for one of the countless bath towels and wrapped her body in it. She had put her brown, long hair together in a simple bun. She didn't want to admit it, but swimming alone with him caused a strange uneasiness deep inside her. Slowly she walked to the door where she could look out through a window into the pool area. Surprised, she noticed that Kylo was already making his way and swimming from one end to the other. Careful not to make unnecessary noise, she opened the door and stepped out. Contrary to expectations, she was surrounded by a comforting warmth, nothing to suggest that there was a cold autumn night outside.   
  
"Come in, the water is wonderfully warm," she heard Kylo's voice, which had become aware of her in the meantime and now swam straight to the end where she stood indecisively. "You can put the towel on the couch where my things are," he explained, turning around and immersing himself in a quick movement, looking for a new way to the other side of the pool. Sighing, she went to the couch where the book and a dark blue towel were. She took a quick look over her shoulder just to see that Kylo was continuing to swim. "Now pull yourself together, Erso," she murmured, annoyed by herself, then carefully laid down the towel on the couch. Standing with her back to the pool, she didn't notice Kylo's eyes looking at her slender body in the black, backless swimsuit. As she turned to him, he went into hiding, directly in her direction.   
  
Carefully, careful not to slip on the damp tile floor, Rey sat down on the edge and let her legs slide in first. "It's really warm," she was astonished to find the water caressing her skin. "I said yes, it's wonderfully pleasant." she heard Kylo say after he appeared a few inches away from her. His shoulder-length, dark hair stuck to his cheekbone, where isolated water pearls found their way down. "Are you often here?" Rey wanted to know and began to gently move her calves in the water. "Yes, it's a good balance to my daily work out. I prefer to swim late when there's nobody left." "As well as now" Rey noticed and got a nod on his part.   
  
"What are you going to teach me today?" "Nowhere better to get to know your own body than in water. It is the purest and at the same time the most unpredictable element. It nestles against your skin, can give you goose bumps, but at the same time it can also trigger a wonderful warmth. Do you notice how it clings to you when I create waves?" Silently, she watched him, just a few centimetres from her knees, stop, and with a gesture of her hand, the water drifted towards her. " Put your hands next to your body and close your eyes. " With an uncertain look she looked at him, but he just nodded to her. Sighing she closed her eyes and followed his instruction. "Do you feel how the water gets into a state of ascension through my movement, how it rubs against your calves as a result? "Yes. "The more I move, the more the friction does not close, which shouldn't be very pleasant." She shook her head and was shocked when he put his hand on the underside of her right calf. "Any other touch doesn't seem real because of the water, although it's actually more real than it seems." As he spoke, he stood in front of her and gently touched the surface of her knees. "Acting is also about trust. When you shoot a scene and demand these interactions with another part. Here you are forced to come into contact with your counterpart." He paused and gently began to exert pressure on her legs with the aim of pushing them apart. "Improvisation is often everything in such contacts, so our goal today is to learn not only to engage with the movements of your counterpart, but also to react instinctively to them, to interlace with them.   
  
As he spoke, he noticed a noticeable increase in inner unrest as her flat hands began to tremble. "I will now put my hands on your hips and then you will let yourself slide into the water with my help. As he carefully laid his hands on her hips as predicted, he did not let her face out of her sight for a moment. "Let the wetness and coolness of the water work on your body, relax," he said in a soothing voice and slowly moved between her legs to get better access to Rey. "Take a deep breath and then let yourself fall," he instructed her before pulling her down into the water with a jerk. Surprised by the cool water on her skin, she opened her eyes and found herself only millimeters away from his face. "All is well, I have you," he said in a soft voice as she felt his palm on her bare back. Uncertain, she looked up, straight into his dark brown eyes. As she felt his palm slowly making its way up her way. He muttered, "Improvisation, Rey," while his other hand continued to lie on her upper arm.   
  
Breathing heavily, she touched the spot in his face where the water pearls were running down. As soon as she felt his skin under her fingertips, Kylo closed his eyes and Rey took the opportunity to let her fingers slide down the high cheekbones. She didn't know why or why, but as soon as she arrived at his jaw, she repeated the touch again. Since he didn't resist her touch, she went one step further and stroked through his damp, dark hair. Suddenly another face of Kylo's inner eye shifted, and he pressed his lips together as he remembered. A reaction that Rey didn't miss and hesitantly withdrew her hand. Clearing his throat, he also pulled his hands back and withdrew a little from her. "That was very good," he said and then swam to the end of the pool where both of her couches were.   
  
"I'll wait for you at the elevator, you can shower upstairs in the guest bathroom," he explained before disappearing into the men's area of the pool area. Rey was agitated by the feelings that not only his touch had triggered in her, slowly stepping to the couch and drying off a little with the towel before she disappeared into the ladies' area and covered her body with an offered bathrobe. She then took her backpack, where she had previously placed her robe, and left the ladies' area towards the foyer, where Kylo was already waiting for her. Silently she joined him. Inside the elevator, he looked rigidly straight while silence continued between them. Arriving at the floor she followed him with her head down into the entrance area. "You'll find everything you need inside," had been his only words before he hastily disappeared towards the living room. Frowning, she dropped her rucksack right next to the bathroom door and immediately locked the door behind her. She didn't know Kylo Ren at all, but she wondered if the black haired one would react the same way with the other women, so rejecting - so cool. "Don't worry, it's just important that he helps you get the role of nightingale," she said as she looked at herself in the mirror before going into the shower to let the hot water flow over her body.   
  
_His fingers gently touched their forearms before searching their way across their upper arms, up to their shoulder and clavicles. After that, only his fingertips wandered down towards her breasts, which he omitted and instead traced her contours, down to her hips. His touch was almost feathery, giving him goose bumps never seen before. Breathing heavily, she looked up from his hands and directly met his dark eyes, which she stared at intensely. _  
  
_"You must let yourself go, let yourself fall - only in this way can you become where you long for!_   
  
Shocked, she opened her eyes as the hot water continued to patter on her head and body. Deeply inhaling, she turned off the bath water and reached for the towel that lay on a small chair right in front of the shower. "Why do I feel his touches so intense?" she murmured as she dried her body with the towel. Then she wrapped her silhouette in the beige bath towel and opened the bathroom door to face Kylo with an astonished look. "What..." she began only to feel his lips on hers the next moment. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation by the help of deepL.com


	9. Don´t Keep Driving

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The closer kylo and rey come, the more complicated it gets.   
While Rey deals with the problem of physical rapprochement, Kylo's past and the memories associated with it break through more and more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't written a lot of erotic scenes yet, I hope they are halfway successful, which will follow from this or the next chapter.  
one or other feedback would be nice, also constructive criticism is always welcome. 
> 
> Song Inspiration: Don´t Keep Driving - The Paper Kites

His lips hungrily searched for yours as he pressed her body, covered only by the towel, against the wall in the entrance area. Almost rudely, she felt his tongue claiming her entrance. Unconsciously she opened her lips a bit, only to feel his tongue in her mouth the next moment. At first completely overwhelmed, she returned his kiss with the same passion as he did. Vaguely she perceived the touch of his hands as they glided over the towel and over her bare shoulders. She felt him pushing her legs together and lifting her up. She didn't know why or why, but her body seemed to develop a life of its own as she put her legs around his hip. While Rey got the feeling of being swallowed up by his lips, she saw Kylo carrying her through the living room, up the stairs - too absorbed by his touches. Only when she felt the soft blanket under her feet did she find the strength to end the kiss. Breathing heavily, she looked up and realized that he was above her. His eyes were as dark as the surroundings, only a small lamp on the bedside table provided some light in the sleeping area.  
  
"Kylo." she mumbled before he swam his lips to hers again. She felt his fingers netting on the spot where the towel was held together. But even these movements she only noticed on the side, because she was too absorbed in the common play of her two tongues. Only when she felt a draught on her naked stomach did she open her eyes. Panically she reached for the towel and made sure that Kylo ended the kiss. Irritated, he looked at her as she hectically hacked the towel back in to cover her body. Slowly the black haired one slipped to the side so that Rey could sit up. Breathing heavily, she watched him nervously driving through his long, black hair, seemingly searching for words. "I'm sorry, I..." she started stammering and put her hands nervously in her lap. "No, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that," he replied, whereupon she looked at him confused.   
  
"Why?" "You're my client, there are rules for this," he said, not looking at her. "Is it my inexperience with touching?" She wanted to know and reached that he turned to her. "Rey, I'm here to professionally prepare you for such touches." "But not on..." murmured the brunette. "I don't do that, even if some clients hope for it." Nodding, she lowered her gaze so as not to have to look. She didn't know why, but the thought that he could become intimate with another woman displeased her. She breathed deeply, rose from the bed and walked up the stairs. Before she entered the first staircase, she turned to Kylo: "Then it's a good thing that I'm not asked to have real traffic on stage." Surprised, he looked up and watched silently as the young woman ran down the stairs.   
  
_"Then it's a good thing that I'm not asked to have real traffic on stage."_  
  
Her words echoed in his thoughts and only after a few seconds did he become aware of their actual meaning. With widened eyes he jumped up, ran down the stairs only to find that Rey was closing the front door just behind him. His gaze fell on the carefully folded towel lying on the chest of drawers next to the door. Silently, he let his fingertips glide over the soft material of the cotton fabric and closed his eyes.   
  
He swam in the pool, surfaced and turned around as he heard their quiet footsteps. Due to her reserved and shy personality, he never would have expected her to own such a swimsuit. The closer he swam towards her silhouette, the more clearly he could see her naked back, for the swimsuit ended just above her buttocks, leaving plenty of room for male fantasies. The straps themselves were narrow and thin, caressing her slender shoulders and emphasizing the protruding clavicles on both sides as soon as she turned to him. Her breasts weren't particularly big, but the contours of the swimsuit made her look fuller than they actually were. Shy, she sat down, lowered her slender legs into the warm water and laid both hands on either side of her body.  
  
Deep in him grew the desire to reach for her hip, to pull her into the water to kiss her passionately. He concentrated on his work with her body, ignoring his budding feelings. But the longer he touched her, the more he felt the urge to be closer to her than would be normal for a client. After he had finally pulled her into the water, which was the normal way to bring her into harmony with her own body and sensations with the water, he had literally fled the pool area.   
  
_"You have to do everything you can to get her to open up to the role of nightingale, Kylo. We really need her on our side so we can destroy him."_  
_Armitage's words echoed in his head as the young woman in the bathroom washed the pool water off her beautiful body. _  
_"What exactly do I do?" _  
_"She can't have any inhibitions on stage, she has to be ready to do anything! She must be able to convince Snoke". _  
_"So you want me to make a whore out of her?" _  
_He looked angrily at the two people sitting opposite him on the couch, holding hands. _  
_"No, Kylo," Gwen replied with a calm voice. _  
_"What do you want then?_  
_"She should be able to be convincing." _  
_"You know as well as I do that this will only be possible if I prepare her practically in this respect." _  
_"Kylo..." the blonde began hesitantly, but was interrupted by Armitage._  
_"Now don't tell me that you suddenly have scruples about getting involved with one of your clients." _  
_"Armitage," Gwen exclaimed, alarmed, but the next moment his nose made the acquaintance of the black-haired man's fist. _  
_Shocked, she jumped up and left the two men behind._  
_"Never dare to say anything like that again," Kylo hissed at the redhead as he shook his hand in pain. _  
_"Ahh, have you gone mad? Gwen, please bring me some ice and a towel," the injured man exclaimed and held his bleeding nose. _  
_"No, but I won't make Rey a whore." _  
_"Nobody said that, just make sure she loses her inhibitions towards other men." Armitage justified his statement while Phasma handed him an ice bag and an old tea towel._  
_"This amounts to the same thing," Kylo said out loud, reaching for his leather jacket and running towards the elevator. With one last look at Armitage, the woman followed her mutual friend waiting for the elevator to arrive._  
_She spoke "Kylo" sentimentally and carefully put one hand on his shoulder. Nobody wants you to make Rey a whore, but try to take away her fear. We need you to get Snoke to finally get what he deserves. Don't you want that too?" _  
_Silently he looked at her for a few seconds before nodding his head down and disappearing inside the elevator without further comment._   
  
With a thoughtful expression on his face, he stood by the window of the living room, silently watching Rey get into a taxi and drive away in the darkness of the night. Nervously, he drove through his thick, black hair and sighed as he sat down on the couch. What was he going to do? For years he felt for the first time again such feelings, the belonging and the desire of a woman not to surrender to physical closeness. It was not the same as with her then, but still he felt some parallels within him.   
  
"What are you doing to me, Rey?" he murmured before reaching for his smartphone and writing:  
  
**"I'm not used to opening myself up. **  
**I closed my feelings,**  
**but I feel it for the first time in years,**  
**the suction to the bright side."**  
  
After he had sent the lines, he put the mobile phone on the coffee table and laid down sighing on the couch. He could understand Armitage and Gwen why they were doing what they were doing. Since the deal with Kira, the owner of the First Order had hated him, had even left the company.   
  
_"If you leave this office, I'll make sure you never get a role again!"_   
  
He had left, had left Snoke behind, and yet he lay like a dark shadow over everything he did ever since. The older man, who knew almost half of his life, had not lied. After that he had no chance to work in his real job anymore and so he finally accepted Gwen's offer and founded "The Supremacy" together with her. Since then he did what he thought he could do best - being close to women and bringing them closer to their own bodies and sensuality. He had been close to all these countless women ever since, but with one exception - he never slept with them. Many of his clients had tried to seduce him, in vain.   
  
"I will never touch a client again" he had sworn in front of her grave at the time and he had kept to that until now. The news melody of his smartphone tore him from his thoughts. Asking, he reached for the device and read the received message.   
  
**"Where there is a lot of light, there is a strong shadow."  
**   
**"We are terrified of our own sins when we see them in others,"** he wrote back to her and put the smartphone next to him on the couch when it announced another message.  
  
**"Who no longer loves and no longer errs, let himself be buried."**   
  
**"The most beautiful luck of the thinking person is, **  
**to have explored the explorable and the **  
**to worship the inscrutable."**   
  
Sighing, he shook his head as he read her words. He noticed that she was familiar with Goethe, since all these quotations were from the German poet, as were his answers to her messages.  
  
**"Kylo, I am not the most experienced, **  
**yet I need your help.**  
**You told me to open myself to you,**  
**I expect the same from you."**  
  
Without writing an answer, he took a look at his last GPS entry, grabbed his leather jacket where he made the smartphone disappear in the inside and left the apartment with a quick step.   
Ten minutes later, he handed the driver of the taxi he had taken to Murray Hill, plus the cost of the trip, his tip before he left the yellow car. With one last breath, he entered the large apartment complex and drove to the sixteenth floor, ringing the bell of that massive entrance door to apartment 201-7. Nervously waiting a few seconds, he heard footsteps behind the door. She audibly unlocked her locks and opened a crack before looking at him with surprised eyes.   
  
"Tell me who you deal with, and I'll tell you who you are." he began with a soft voice, whereupon Rey, smiling, leaned his head against the massive entrance door, retorting: "If I know what you're dealing with, I know what you can become." "May I come in?" Silently, she stepped aside and let him. After closing the locks of the entrance door, she leaned her back against them, her waiting gaze directed at Kylo. He looked around curiously as he followed her through the corridor leading to other rooms on both sides, probably bedrooms. "The apartment actually belongs to my friend Paige, but she is staying in Australia for a year abroad," she explained as she led him to a room on the right hand side of the kitchen that was at the end of the corridor. "Where did you live before?" "In Brooklyn, together with Finn." "He asked "Finn? irritatedly and remained undecided in the door frame. "We went to school together, he's a NYPD cop." Now the meeting with the mysterious policeman suddenly made sense.   
  
"But first I have to get my things out of the apartment, even if I don't know how to do it yet" she said and put her arms around her slender body, a clear hint that the topic was not only unpleasant for her but also hurt her. "If you want, I can help you." "Can you do that" she asked with a soft expression on her face, whereupon Kylo moved towards her and stopped right in front of her. "If you want that, yes." She explored his dark eyes, which she looked at questioningly in an attempt to fathom her soul life, just as she did with him herself. Yes, she formed silently with her lips whereupon Kylo carefully grabbed her hands to loosen the firm grip around her body. Only now did he notice that she was wearing a silken, lavender dressing gown. "May I?" Again she agreed in silence and let him do as he removed her hands from the belt to open it. "I don't want you to think that I don't want you - for I do," he began as he opened the robe and released a beige negligee underneath. "When I do, you must realize that you can no longer be my client," he continued, slowly pushing the silk fabric over her shoulders, where her clavicles were recognizable only by the light in the corridor area despite the prevailing darkness. He could clearly perceive their goose bumps as he gently let his fingertips glide over the contours. Inhaling sharply, she closed her eyes, opening her lips slightly. His right thumb gently touched her lower lip and stroked it before he touched her cheek and she snuggled into his palm.   
  
"Who should I turn to when I..." she whispered while he grabbed her neck and placed his lips at the level of her carotid artery, gently sucking on it. To give him more room, she put her head back and enjoyed his touches with her eyes closed. "I will continue to teach you what you must know," he replied before pulling a trace with his tongue to the beginning of her décolleté, pulling down the thin straps of her Negliglee on her upper arms, "Then show me what it means to be a true nightingale," she challenged him before pulling his head down with both hands to kiss him. As innocent as the kiss on her part began, so passionately he replied, lifting her up so that she wrapped her legs around his hips and was carried out of the living room by him. "Where to?" "Is the bedroom right next to the entrance? While their tongues were playing with each other, he carried them into that room and laid them down on the spacious double bed. Under the moonlight that shone through the corner windows, he pushed up the silk fabric of her Negliglee and caressed her lower abdomen, which trembled noticeably at his touch.   
  
"I won't hurt you," he promised her when she felt her hands on his when he arrived at her panties. "Close your eyes and trust me." 


	10. Crush

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's hot between Kylo and Rey as another man in her live makes a discovery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Inspiration: Crush - Cigarettes After Sex

Rey concentrated on the study book in front of him and described the block in front of him with useful notes. After a few seconds she looked up and watched the students, who were also in the library. She paused at two students sitting at the same table. Both only touched each other with their fingers as they sat opposite each other and were absorbed in their books. Fascinated, she looked at the finger play, as her fingertips met again and again in turns and then wandered to the next one. It doesn't take much physical contact to be sure of the mutual affection, she thought, smiling as she remembered the events of last night.  
  
_"Put her down above your head," he instructed her before putting his lips on her panties. Frowning, she wondered why he did this before she noticed his breath above her most intimate part. How was this possible, although she was still wearing her panties, to perceive such emotions that everything in her cried out for his touches and caresses. _  
_She had often touched herself, but never before had she been exposed to such an explosion as the one his tongue triggered when he laid over her clitoris. It seemed as if every touch of the sensory organ would trigger another wave of fire, followed by another and another. At some point Rey had stopped counting these waves and closed her eyes enjoying them. "What is that? What are those waves" she asked groaning as she additionally noticed his fingertips at the edge of her labia. "These are the waves of lust," he replied with a deeper voice than usual. He probably spoke in the same way as he always did, but her perception was clouded by the feelings of lust, she simply did not know._  
  
_"Don't think, just let go - that's the key, Rey." _  
  
_As he spoke, she felt his breath on her labia, gently touched by his fingertips, sending flashes of lightning through her body that made her flinch. Unconsciously she raised her hips, not knowing why she was doing this. "You are so beautiful," he mumbled and gently dipped his index finger between her labia and paused as he noticed her tense due to the new, unknown experience. "Relax, I'm not hurting you. You will immediately notice how much you will like it. Believing his words, she breathed deeply and relaxed her hips and thighs. "Oh my God..." she ejected as he plunged his index finger deep into her, pampering her clitoris with his tongue. "What do you feel?" he wanted to know about her as his index finger touched regions within her that Rey didn't even know existed. "It's...indescribable...I feel so agitated, but also free and...oh my God!" she exclaimed when his finger had found a certain rhythm, while his tongue stroked faster and faster over her now swollen clitoris. At the same time her hip kept lifting towards his face before her body dropped back into bed swerving. "What was that?" she asked after a few seconds. Smiling, Kylo stroked her lower abdomen, responding: "That was an orgasm, it helps you to feel these touches of two people as pleasant. "That was more than pleasant. Kylo laughed quietly before turning back to her hot region. "Let's go on..." he said, whereupon Rey looked irritatedly down and the next moment felt his tongue deep in her crevice. "Oh my God" she exclaimed shocked but full of relish and threw her head back into the pillow, whereupon the knot holding her long hair together loosened. _  
_"We will..." she murmured as she felt Kylo's hand under her shirt looking for a way towards her breasts. "No, everything in its time," he replied, helping her within seconds to her next physical and emotional climax. And when he began to twist her buds between his fingertips, Rey couldn't stop her moaning. "Don't hold back, live out your passion! Scream if you want, every cry of pleasure is a liberation at the same time". he explained before burying his face again in her lap. Unconsciously, she grabbed the back of his head with her hands and pushed it into her raised pelvis. _  
  
"Rey." The call for her name ripped her from her memories and let the young brunette look up questioningly, where she looked into the face of her professor. "Hello Luke," she said with a faint smile before returning to reading. "Is everything okay?" he asked with a worried voice when he came to her behind the counter, where she was usually waiting for students to borrow a book from her. "Yes, it's all good, why do you ask? "Because you didn't respond to your name until the third time." Smiling, she looked up at the bearded man and could clearly see his concern. "It's nothing, I was just lost in thought. I'm sorry," she said and lowered her head. "You know you can come to me with anyone, Rachel." Whenever the professor with the shoulder-length hairs addressed her with her birth name, Rey knew that he truly cared for her. "Luke, it's really all good. Don't worry!" With one last, checking look, the person nodded and disappeared in the back of the library. The acoustic announcement of an incoming message drew her attention to her smartphone, which was right next to the notepad.  
  
**"I'll be waiting for you outside the library, K."**  
  
Smiling, she closed her book and notepad, put both in her backpack before she rose and Paige's warm autumn jacket put on herself. "I'll be off, Luke," she exclaimed and looked back at where he looked out between the shelves. "All right, see you tomorrow, Rey!" Nodding, she first left the office and then the library, not paying attention to the dark hood she left on the counter. As soon as Luke had stepped forward a few seconds later, his gaze immediately fell on the soft black object. He quickly grabbed it, left the library and followed the brunette who had just stepped outside through the large glass doors. Once there, he paused and watched Rey embrace a young man whose face was covered by his long black hair for the moment of her embrace. When the two of them finished them and he took the brunette by the hand, Luke could look into the face of the unknown and see with shock widened eyes that the angular features of the black-haired man were anything but unknown to him. With a thoughtful look, he returned to the library and reached for his smartphone.  
  
"It's me, I found him." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little spoiler ;)   
in the next chapter - Kylo and Rey each the climax - in the truest sense.


	11. Heavenly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> okee, we have reached the summit of lust.   
I have never written a complete scene in the erotic field before. so please be indulgent with me if possible.   
Any comment or critic are always welcome!   
Thank you!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Inspiration: Heavenly - Cigarettes After Sex

  
"What are we going to do today?" "You will learn to stand by your own body." With shock widened eyes, Rey saw sitting on the couch in Kylo's apartment as he closed the shutters of the window front again. "What do you mean by that? What do you expect me to do? "I want you to deal with your body," he explained after the living room area was darkened. "But..." She paused when the black-haired man had stopped right in front of her, stretched out his hand and offered it to her. "Come with me!" She hesitantly grabbed his hand, let him pull her up and followed him up the stairs to the area where the double bed stood. 

"Do you trust me?" he wanted to know about her before he led her to a big mirror and put himself behind her. Nodding, Rey looked at him through the reflection and watched as he slowly let her beige cardigan slide off her shoulders first, followed by her white shirt, where he raised her arms to lift the garment more easily. "Leave your arms up," he quietly directed her as he put the shirt to one side. Silently she looked at her upper body, where her breasts were only covered by a bra. Before she could think any further, she felt Kylo gently let his fingertips wander up the inside of her upper arms to her wrists, giving her goose bumps. Arriving at the top of her fingers, he wedged his fingers with hers, gently squeezing them together and leading her arms back to her body. "You're beautiful, even if you don't believe it yourself," he explained, as his fingers moved his arms back toward her shoulder, her shoulder blades down to finally land on the closure of her bra. "Put your arms around my head." Hesitantly she followed his request as she felt him pulling the clasp at the same time. "Don't be afraid, you don't have to hide - never" he said to her courage. The brunette took a deep breath and then put her arms back and held on to Kylo's neck as he simultaneously opened her bra and it fell silently to the floor. Instinctively, Rey wanted to cover her breasts, but was prevented from doing so by his fingers, which grabbed hers. "No." Hesitantly, she looked uncertainly at him, whereupon he looked at her and shook his head. "Look in the mirror." Slowly she followed his words and watched as the buttons of her small breasts stood up through the cool room air. "You don't have to be ashamed, every single region of your body is wonderful," he explained as each of his hands searched its way around her breasts. Frightened, but also enjoying, she closed her eyes and leaned back against Kylo's body as he stroked the contours of her femininity. "Is it pleasant? he mumbled and felt Rey start stroking through his thick black hair. He took this as an opportunity for the thumb to gently stroke his right hand over her nipple, after which she moaned instantly. Spurred on by her reaction, he repeated this, ultimately pampering both sides with his thumbs at the same time on the other breast. 

The longer he did this, the more Rey started driving through his hair, pushing his body further and further, putting her head back into his neck. Feeling himself, he put his lips on her neck and lovingly sucked on it. "Kylo" she murmured groaning and he looked down at her and surprisedly looked into her glassy eyes, which looked at him pleadingly. Without thinking, he laid his lips on hers, who greedily received him. Contrary to all restraint, this time it was she who pressed her tongue against his lips and asked to be admitted. He willingly granted her this and sparked a passionate tongue play. Meanwhile he let his hands slide down to her hips, where he opened her pants and put his right hand into her panties. He was not particularly surprised to notice that her clitoris was already surrounded by advanced moisture, as was the interior of her labia and the entrance to her innermost, that he was now beginning to explore. Rey willingly opened her legs to give her seducer better access as she, in keeping with the movements of his finger, began to circle her pelvis. 

The longer both remained in their symbiosis, the more breathless became not only Rey, who was just before her orgasm, but also Kylo. With closed eyes he felt the stroking movements of his index finger running over her inner flesh. His limb was painfully tense and the friction of her female body did the rest to unload in his jeans while the brunette in his hands audibly reached her climax. While Rey, breathing heavily, leaned back against him and tried to gather again, the black-haired man carefully pulled his fingers out of her wet lips. 

As soon as the young woman had regained her normal breath, she opened her eyes again for the first time and recognized the situation she was in. With an embarrassed look, she moved away from Kylo's body, whose hands had meanwhile disappeared. "That was..." she began quietly, cleared her throat, and finally looked up at the black-haired man, who gave her a faint smile. "...incredible." "If you let yourself fall, you have so much passion to give." Nodding, she agreed with his statement. "I'll take a quick shower then." Understanding, she turned to her reflection and let her gaze wander over her naked torso. Suddenly her breasts no longer appeared small and miserable, but like the instrument of sensuality. Researching, she touched the round contours and caressed herself on the same path as Kylo had done before. As she perceived the sound of the water rushing from inside the bathroom, Rey got rid of her jeans and panties and began to touch herself. It only took a few touches of her thumb for her clitoris to send lightning through her entire body again. With an enjoyable smile, she looked at the closed bathroom door. Could she really dare, she had never tried anything like it before. When she thought back to his touches and the wonderful, unique feelings that went with them, she set herself in motion and laid her hand on the door handle of the room door.

Knowing the inside of the bathroom, she purposefully approached the shower, which was protected by a glass door. Despite the steam, she could see the contours of his naked silhouette. As he stood with his back to the transparent barrier, she could see his muscular back view. The comparison with so many Roman and Greek statues, which she had seen in the context of her work in the library in the various books on art history, shot her through the head. The seconds of the moment had elapsed as he turned around just as she was about to open the glass door. With obvious astonishment, he looked at her before his eyes wandered down to realize that she was completely undressed. Hesitantly, but certainly, she stepped into the shower with him and closed the glass door silently behind her. He began "Rey..." quietly, only to feel her hands on his naked torso the next moment. "I want to be able to do everything to be good enough," she explained and let her fingertips wander gently over his nipples, which Kylo acknowledged with a moan and closed his eyes. "Good enough" he murmured and stepped back where he soon felt the tile wall in his back. "Good enough for you, good enough for the role of nightingale." At the mention of the theater role, Kylo opened his eyes and looked at her intensely. "You want to be able to do everything" he asked her challengingly and received a nod of agreement. "Then so be it," he murmured, pulled her rudely up and kissed her passionately. Automatically she opened her lips and greeted his tongue. He turned her so that she was confronted with the black tiles rubbing against her plump nipples before his fingers closed around them to twirl her. 

A hand pushed her now wet hair aside. "Open your legs for me." Obedient she did as called and spread her legs as far as she could. "Stretch your bottom towards me." Astonished Kylo realized that she did everything he ordered her to do without hesitation. He first touched the inside of her thighs in front, before he found the entrance of her vagina over the contours of her pelvis to the back, over her bottom. "Put your arms back around my neck and hold on to them," he instructed her as he stroked his ruled limb a few times. "Do you trust me?" he wanted to know. "Yes," she breathed as he carefully inserted and paused his penis the next moment. Surprised inside, he found that all her female anthems were indeed still intact, so she hadn't lied. As he began to caress her clitoris with his index finger, he moved his penis forward and penetrated the last barrier of her virginity. She made a short sound of pain before Kylo began to pick up a slow but steady rhythm. Her sounds of pain soon gave way to those of lust and excitement. She pushed her bottom and pelvis towards him in order to take him deeper into herself. 

Astonished he noticed the movements of her body, it seemed as if she already had experience in this area. But how could this be possible when she was so rejecting and reserved towards other touches? Could it be possible that she... The noisy announcement of her near orgasm, as well as the incipient contraction of her inner walls around his stiff limb, brought him back to reality, which capitulated to him in the ecstasy of the moment. "Hold on to the tiles," he instructed them panting. Without arguing, she followed his orders and hit him harder, pulling her hips and hair with her left hand before putting his right hand on her back. "Kylo..." she moaned, noticeably before her second orgasm, while he himself stood just in front of it. "Rey..." slipped out of his mouth as he unloaded deep into her inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoiler: A chapter without Kylo? Yeah, next time..


	12. Forgive Me Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A chapter without Kylo, but it´s necessary for Rey´s story and the secret connections behind her back.   
It´s a short one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Inspiration: Smith & Thell feat. Swedish Jam Factory - Forgive Me Friend

"Here you are, your coffee to go," she said in a friendly tone to the young customer, who was presumably a student before she thankfully accepted the offered coffee cup. "Rey, you're in a really good mood today," said Rose, who was also doing her job and serving other customers. "Yes, I'm fine," the brunette replied and turned to the coffee machine opposite the counter. "Finn and I wanted to ask you if we were going back to the club together." Rey took a quick look at the Asian while she concentrated on preparing another caffeinated hot drink. "That's nice of you, but I have plans tonight." With a surprised expression on her face, Rose saw her friend for a moment before apologizing to the customer for handing over the cup she had ordered. "Why? Do you have another late shift in the university library?" To her greater astonishment, Rey shook her head and continued to devote himself to her work. "When it's because of the last time..." Rose started before she was interrupted by another customer.   
  
After some time, where one customer after the other placed their orders with the two of them, picked them up and left the cafe, Rose devoted herself to the brunettes as soon as it became noticeably quieter. "Listen to me, it was not okay for me to ask Paige to talk to you about the move. Finn and I should have talked directly to you. Rey sighed annoyed while she was cleaning the counter. "Finn already has a very bad conscience and we thought..." "Rose," she interrupted the dark-haired girl and looked at her. "It happened as it happened. Was it all right? No, but I can't change it now either." "So are you coming tonight?" she speculated hopefully just to get a shake of the head from Rey. "Why..." "I already have an appointment and now apologize, we should continue here before Plutt arrives with the new owner," she said dismissively and disappeared into the back of the cafe to get a new rag.  
"Rey, please!" Sighing, she stopped organizing the individual cardboard boxes when Rose entered the small camp behind her. "Rose, let's sort this out another time, please. We have more important things to do now," she appealed to the reason of the young woman, who looked at her speechlessly. "What is more important than our friendship?" "This job, for example?" Shocked by her answer, Rose gasped for air and followed Rey back to the store. "If not for my sake, what about Finn and your long-standing friendship?" Annoyed, Rey placed the box on the counter and looked at her colleague. "Finn is just as important to me as she is to you and I'll dedicate myself to you if you want even a whole evening." "Then the club is today..." "But not today, Rose," Rey interrupted her and began to replace the salt shakers underneath the counter with the newly delivered containers from the box. "If you think so," Rose murmured and left the brunette to devote herself to the next customer.   
  
Silently, in an ice-cold mood between the two, Plutt entered the sales room about an hour later, followed by a woman. "Ladies," Rey and Rose heard at the same time, the exaggerated, friendly voice of their superior walking to them at the counter. "May I introduce you to the new owner of the cafe." The two employees briefly looked at each other before they looked at the older woman who now appeared next to Plutt. She wore tied grey hair and seemed to make a serious but overall friendly impression. "Mazinda Kanata," she introduced herself as Plutt was about to open her mouth. Speechless, he watched as the new owner first reached out to Rey, who could well hide her astonishment. "Rachel Erso." Nodding, she turned to the Asian, reaching out her hand. "Rose Tico." "Miss Erso, Miss Tico, I'm happy to make your acquaintance." Nodding, the two young women looked at the older one, while Plutt cleared his throat discreetly. "Well, you can go on while Mrs. Kanata and I finish the last formalities in the back." Rey and Rose obediently followed his orders before the two disappeared back towards the office.   
  
"I know this woman, she..." Rose began hesitantly. "Yes, she had been in the club behind the dressing room at the time." Rey thoughtfully finished her sentence. "But why would such a person own a cafe and be a dresser in a nightclub at the same time?" "That's the good question here, Rose," she replied before the office door was loudly opened from behind and an angry plut ran out with a box in her hand. "I wish you both all the best," he said and before the two women could react, the middle-aged man turned away and really hurried out of the cafe. "What was that, just now?" Rey asked himself when the new owner stepped next to her. "Miss Erso, would you mind if I first asked Miss Tico to come to my office for a chat?" Frowning, the woman shook her head. "Thank you, Miss Tico?" The Asian took a quick look at Rey, who was already dedicating herself to the next waiting customer, and followed the older woman into the office.   
  
Rey followed the older African American into the small office, where she was offered the chair on which she always sat when Plutt wanted something from her or warned her about various customer complaints. After her counterpart also settled down, she gently smiled at the young woman. "Miss Erso, may I say Rachel?" "I'm usually called Rey by everyone." Nodding, the woman wrote this down on a sheet of paper where her name stood big, along with a picture of herself. "Rey, you look like you want to tell me something." Confused, she pulled her eyebrows together. "Not really, except..." "...you ask me why the new owner of your place of work works in a club at the same time, right?" Hesitantly, Rey nodded approvingly. "That does not surprise me at all, in order to anticipate immediately any misunderstandings, I would like to clear you up." She waited and looked at the older woman. "It was not Mazinda Kanata who took over this café, but the Resistance Cooperation. I'm just here to handle the takeover and run this cafe as its manager." "I understand," Rey said. "But since I am also the manager of the club, I will need someone to look after the rights in my name. I see you've been here the longest, Rey." With widened eyes, the person addressed recognized what the conversation was about. "Mrs. Kanata..." she began hesitantly. "Maz, please." "Maz, I'm only here on a part-time basis, I'm studying." "I know I've read it." "Therefore, it would be better if you consider Rose Tico for the job, for example." Frowning, Maz took a look at the paper on the right that showed the picture of Tico's younger sister. "Are you sure, Rey?" "Absolutely, but thank you for your offer, Maz." "Gladly, then we would have cleared everything up." Nodding, both women rose, with the brunette going to the door and pausing. "May I ask another question?" "Of course. "You mentioned that you're not actually the owner of this cafe, you're the Resistance Cooperation." Maz nodded affirmatively. "That's right, why do you ask?" "May I know who she's heading?" "The Resistance Cooperation is an organization divided into two subcontractors and run by Leia Organa." Nodding, Rey left the office and returned to the front, where Rose's wait-and-see expression hit her. "Don't worry, I won't be your boss," she said and immediately turned to the waiting customer who had just approached the counter. Certainly she ignored her friend's relieved sigh.   
  
At the end of her shift, which ended around seven in the evening, two things were clear. On the one hand the cafe had a new owner and with Rose Tico a new manager as official representative of Maz Kanata, who in turn represented the Resistance Cooperation. On the other hand, it was this mysterious thing that it was not the owner herself as the owner who took care of the concerns of the cafe, but Maz. Who was Leia Organa-Solo and why did she not appear personally, although she was registered as the new owner? Why did she choose to be represented by Maz Kanata? 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation with the help of deepL.com   
I´m looking for a beta ;)


	13. Connection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Step by step, we get bit for bit a larger view in Kylos past and his connections to Snoke

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Inspiration: Connection - Elastica (God save the nineties music)

"What are we doing today?" Rey wanted to know when she arrived at Kylo's apartment at the end of her shift. "We're going out today." "She asked "A date? smiling after he kissed her to greet her and helped her out of her warm autumn jacket. "No, unfortunately not. But we will make up for that." "Rey came to the realization and didn't know why she felt a certain disappointment in herself. "You are disappointed, aren't you?" Surprised, the brunette looked up from her palms. "Can you read minds?" "No, but your face is like an open book, a fact we absolutely must work on if you want to be the perfect nightingale." "Right," she recognized with her lips pressed together. "In all the areas that a woman needs for the role of nightingale, I seem at least to fit in. Maybe Hux would have preferred Bazine Netal," Rey pondered as she walked past Kylo, towards the living room.  
  
With a shocked expression on his face, the black-haired man followed her into the spacious room, where the young woman sat down on the couch and looked at him as he stopped right in front of the coffee table. "You know Bazine Netal?" She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't really know her." "But? "I met her at the audition, she was very convinced of herself." Sighing, Kylo breathed out, retorting: "That's right." Frowning, Rey looked at the man opposite her. "Why do you ask? With pressed lips he looked at her, whereupon she began to nod. "You know her, I understand." Silently he affirmed nodding. "From where? "I...she..." When Rey noticed that it seemed difficult for him to talk about it, she beckoned away. "You don't have to answer me." "Yes, I do - but it is difficult because Bazine was present in one of the darkest chapters of my life. Looking back, I don't associate a good time with her," he explained, looking out at the street. "I'm sorry." "It doesn't have to be, but I'm not thrilled you're dealing with her." Confused, Rey rose and joined him, now also looking down at what was happening down the street. "Why? "Because she is a manipulative and intimate personality." "She thought she was going to get the role of nightingale." "But she was wrong about Armitage."   
  
Frowning, Rey saw from the street straight to Kylo. "Do you know Hux very well?" Sighing, Kylo nodded, touching his forehead before stepping back into the room. "Why didn't you tell me?" "I didn't want you to hear about it right away, and you shouldn't have." "Why?" Kylo looked at her wordlessly before the brunette could add up one and one. "Phasma." Nodding, he agreed with her. "Gwen is his fiancée, but few know that. They both belong to my closest friends. As you know, Armitage asked me at the cafe to accept you." Remembering the strange situation back then, Rey nodded. "You never asked me why." "I didn't think anything of it. Since Phasma had referred me to you, I thought that you often had professional dealings with the two of them. "In the beginning it was also like that. "In the beginning? Shaking his head, he returned to Rey and took her hands. "There are things in my life I'm not particularly proud of. I will tell you about them sometime, but not now - not today! To his amazement, Rey agreed nodding. Another woman would probably have hung in his ears and annoyed him to tell it. But not so the brunette, who possessed a very calm personality and yet at the same time concealed an undreamt-of passion.  
  
"We will work on a stage today." Reys eyes widened instantly when he mentioned the penultimate word. "Really?" Nodding in the affirmative, he answered her question in the affirmative and received a delighted clap on her part before she paused and looked at him questioningly. "How is it that we can work on a stage? There are various performances in the evenings." "That's right, but not in the first order - they have no play until next week. I talked to Armitage and he gives us the opportunity to use the stage for the next four days. However, there may be a little problem here." "Which one? "On weekends we can only rehearse until eleven in the morning because performances are booked in the evening. To that we have to be careful that Bazine doesn't hear about it." Frowning, Rey shook his head, not understanding what he was talking about. "Armitage booked the theatre during this time, no one can ever know that he prefers you for the role - you could lose everything if Bazine found out about it." Rey looked at the serious expression on Kylo's face that seemed tense. "It's not just Bazine or what we're talking about here, is it?" The black haired one lowered his head before denying shaking it. "Bazine is the daughter of the owner of The First Order Theater." "Richard Snoke is the father of Bazine Netal," Rey remarked astonished. "But how is that possible?" "She carries her mother's maiden name, which Snoke had never married. Bazine comes from an affair, but nobody should know that." In silence she nodded and began to understand why the young woman had been so sure when auditioning for her role.   
  
Since the nightingale was to be performed at The First Order Theater, it seemed clear to Bazine that as the owner's daughter she would automatically be given the leading role. "As a rule, she shows up at the auditions to avoid attracting attention that the role selection might be fixed in advance, but in reality..." "...Bazine Netal is the big star of a First Order Theatre production every time" Rey finished the sentence and received a nod on his part. "If it's all like that, why does Armitage want me for this role?" "You have to ask him that yourself." Kylo suddenly blocked off and turned away from the window front. Confused by his change of mind, she looked after the black-haired man as he reached for his smartphone that was lying on the coffee table. "Let's go so we don't lose time." Nodding, she followed him and, passing by, reached for her backpack, which lay on the elegant leather couch.   
  
A little later Rey found herself back in the auditorium of the First Order Theatre, while Kylo talked to Mitaka. "Thank you for your help." "Anytime," he replied and nodded friendly to Rey as they watched the two men standing by the stairs. As the conversation between the two seemed to be still going on, Rey looked up and looked astonished at the big chandelier which consisted of four arms. To each of these arms were attached countless small lamps, which gave a pleasant but constant brightness to the auditorium. Currently they were only dimmed and gave just enough brightness not to fall over the seats, let alone over the stairs leading to the spacious stage.   
  
"Rey," she heard Kylo's voice behind her, whereupon she turned around and saw the black-haired man standing on the stairs. "Come onto the stage." Nodding, she ran quickly to the stairs as he sat down on the stage on the couch where she was supposed to lie during the audition. "Do you know the exact story of the nightingale?" She shook her head in the negative. "No, I happened to read about the audition on campus and thought it was worth a try." "Have you ever attended an acting school?" The brunette leaned against the table on the surface of which she had lollnged a few weeks before in front of Poe Dameron. "No, I only worked with the theater group in high school." "Do you have a scholarship?" "Yes, I have financial help, but not in the field of acting." Frowning, Kylo stood up and approached her. "But? "Art history and drama." Now he understood why the young woman before him knew every single painting in his apartment, unlike his previous customers. "I applied for one in the field of acting, but I was rejected." "Well, we'll make sure the role of Nightingale is your breakthrough." Rey looked at the black haired man in front of him and realized that his confidence was not played.   
  
"Well, then we'll start going over the script," he said, handing her a copy of the play that was to premiere on Broadway in two months, just before Christmas, directed by Armitage Hux. "You know the story of the nightingale?" "Vaguely, I've only heard rumors about the content," she replied, "It's about Lilith, the nightingale - engaged to the son of a nobleman. When a war breaks out in her country, it gets both into trouble because a follower of the resistance is. After he disappears and leaves Lilith behind, her property is taken over by the enemies. The commander, called Hunter by all, makes it clear to her that he knows where her husband is hiding, but is willing to keep this to himself if she gives herself completely to him and becomes his companion. Otherwise she would not only lose her husband but also her home and become fair game." He paused and looked from the summary of the script above. Sighing, he recognized her more than astonished facial expression. "I suppose the nightingale will have to use Hunter to depict explicit scenes." Nodding, he affirmed her statement before he cleared his throat discreetly. "I read the script first, Rey." The hesitation in his voice made the young woman suspect nothing good. "The nightingale will have an explicit scene with both men, Hunter and the noble husband as well as two soldiers. The brunette nervously opened the bun, holding her long brown hair together, before loosely tying it together again and breathing deeply. "Well, how many such scenes are we talking about here, Kylo?" "Five scenes," he replied with a serious facial expression. "I suppose the scene with the German soldiers will be about..." "...act a rape, right." he ended, whereupon Rey let himself sink onto the chair, which was right next to the table.   
  
"Now do you understand why it's so important to Armitage that you're convincing?" Slowly the person addressed dawned on why Gwen had referred her to the black-haired man. "I really shouldn't have any inhibitions, should I?" "Not when it comes to the role of the nightingale." What will Armitage do if I can't?" she asked uncertainly as Kylo walked up to her and kneeled right in front of her. "Then the role will go to Bazine because Hux Snoke can't offer an alternative to you." Rey's thoughts wandered to Kylo's revelation and the director's plan for Snoke. "All right, I'll do my best," Rey finally said and received a satisfied nod from Kylo. "Well, let's get started then." With a queasy feeling she watched the black haired man first take off his jacket and stretch the sleeves of the white shirt up to his elbows. "Did you bring your training robe?" he inquired what she confirmed with a nod. "Well, you can change in the back of the wardrobe and read the first love scene between the nobleman and the nightingale. In the meantime, I will prepare everything."   
  
Visibly insecure and with her head bowed, she walked out of the dressing room and into the direction of the stage, as she noticed Kylo's voice. "What are you trying to tell me?" She stood just behind a protective stage scenery and watched from there how Kylo walked around angrily while he was on the phone. "No, you can't ask that - I won't, Armitage!" he explained, then throwing the phone on the couch with a raging scream. "Shit," he shouted out loud and looked exactly in her direction with a swim. "How long have you been standing there?" he wanted to know while she came to him. "Long enough to know that you talked to Hux on the phone and learned something you didn't seem to like." "Yes I do not like it indeed" he murmured and drove nervously through his dark hair. She wanted to know "What did he tell you?" and hesitantly touched the top of his hand, which was resting on the back of the couch. "Snoke wants to see results next week and there are two serious problems." "On the one hand I..." With pressed lips he nodded and looked straight. "What's the other problem?" "That the selected actor will not be available for the role of Hunter, as he will still be filming in Europe at this time." "What does he want to do now?" "He asked a fellow actor if he could stand in for him."   
  
The prospect that Rey not only had to portray intimate scenes with various men, but also had to adjust to a man she was only supposed to work with for the owner on this level, caused her great discomfort deep down. "Did he tell you who this is going to be - maybe you know him and can give me some tips? Smiling, Kylo shook his head, cursed again and moved away from her. His whole behaviour seemed to become confusing again, just like after her first two sessions together. "Kylo, what's going on" she asked in a soft voice before pausing with his back to her before lowering his head. "Armitage asked me if I could step in." "What? she asked, believing she had interrogated herself. But the serious look on his face when he turned to her spoke for himself. "But, you spoke of an actor and you are..." She paused because she didn't know the exact job title for what he was doing.   
  
"I studied at Juilliard and graduated," he explained and received an astonished expression from Rey. "But if you're an actor, why are you working..." "You mean why I'm not active?" Nodding, she affirmed his question. "That's a long story." "Does she have anything to do with Snoke?" "Yes, he has something to do with it and why I do what I do today." Rey nervously stroked a strand of hair from his face that had come loose from the tied knots. "I swore I'd never work for Snoke again." "Why?" "Something happened many years ago that caused me to terminate my contract with First Order." The brunette couldn't get rid of the feeling that it had to do with the darkest chapter Kylo had talked about before in the apartment. "What are you going to do now?" "I don't want to disappoint Armitage, but I can't and don't want anything more to do with Snoke directly. As sorry as I am, but he has to look for someone else there. Kylo, whom she had always experienced as a prudent person, moved across the stage full of anxiety, not knowing what to do. The longer she watched him, the more angry he became. "Kylo" she began quietly, but he shook his head. "Kylo" she cried out powerfully in the end and reached with it that he looked astonished at her. "What? Carefully Rey approached him, his facial expression resembling that of a hunted animal. "Let's first rehearse the first scene with each other and then we'll go on?" she suggested and carefully touched his forearm. Breathing heavily he looked at her tender fingers, which slowly found their way to his wrist and then enclosed it. Clearly she could feel his rapid pulse below her fingertips.   
"Please Kylo" she added mumbling and got him to finally agree nodding. "Let's get started." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> nothing belongs to me, maybwe the idea of the story thas all ;)  
just for fun, not for money.


	14. Catching Feelings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When feelings come into play, it's always dangerous and everything becomes unpredictable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there are days when i think to myself, what am i even doing here, is there someone who reads my story? Then I think about my readers, like gege31 and MFA01, which let me continue. 
> 
> apart from this fanfiction i'm working on my first novel and today i got a feedback from a friend and now i feel depressed although i know that everything she said is true... 
> 
> The song inspiration of this chapter: Drax Project - Catching Feelings

"Why do you have to leave me?" She looked at him with a tearsticked voice, while he stood in front of the big mirror and closed the buttons of his coat. "I must hide, otherwise I'll end up like all the others in the camps." She shook her head. "You don't even know if the rumors circulating about it are true." "I know they're true and you know it too, Lilith," he explained in an angry voice, reaching for his suitcase that was ready to leave.   
  
"Please don't leave me." He replied, reaching for his suitcase and leaving the stage with his lips pressed together. Desperately, the woman who was left behind burst into tears and sank to her knees.   
  
"Exactly, that's why I want her," sounded the voice of Armitage, whereupon Rey looked confusedly into the audience room and recognized the redhead on one of the chairs. She said, "Mister Hux," and rose as quickly as she could as she wiped the tears from her face. "Rey, that was great." "Armitage, what are you doing here?" Kylo interfered in the conversation as he returned to the brunette on stage. Wearing only his black jeans and white shirt again, he must have got rid of the escaped husband's wardrobe before.  
  
"I wanted to watch you rehearse." "If that's the only reason, you could have done it yesterday," the black haired guy grimly replied while Rey regained the emotional calm she needed in the presence of Armitage Hux. "Kylo Ren, you can't play anything." said the redhead smiling and looked at Rey, who was standing uncertainly between the two men. "We went to Juilliard together, so I know you relatively well." "But that's true, all right - it's about the following..." he admitted and received a bitter laugh from the black-haired man. Rey threw in "Kylo" and turned to Hux again. "I understood that you don't want to step in..." "Oh, really?" "...but nevertheless I would like to ask you to continue working as a coach for Rey." "I do that anyway, as you can see." "Well, then you can prepare her for the scenes with Hunter right away." Irritated, Kylo crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Why, have you already found a replacement?" "Yes, I did indeed." Surprised, Rey looked from the black-haired man to the director, who looked at him satisfied. "Who?" "I." Frowning, the young woman of him looked at Kylo, who looked at him irritated. "I beg your pardon, Armitage, you're the one who's staging the whole play, you can't play the leading role." "I'm not going to do that in the end, but I'm going to do it for the Snoke show - unless you..." Kylo shook his head energetically. "I thought that already and since nobody is available in this short time, I will do it myself. "What about Poe? "Dameron? Never in life, he plays the husband. Dameron may look wonderful, but our professor already questioned his ability to change." "Never in your life, he plays the husband. Kylo nodded with compressed lips.   
  
"Well, then how should it go on? "You'll work with Rey and me on the scenes between the nightingale and the hunter." With a queasy feeling in her stomach the brunette looked at her teacher and confidante who drove through his black hair and nodded afterwards. "All right." "Well, Gwen suggested we practice in our apartment to give Rey the privacy she needs to get to know me better." At the mention of Hux, that he wanted to get to know Rey better, Kylo turned his stomach. But to protect his professionalism from Armitage, he nodded in agreement. "Rey, do you have time tonight?" the redhead asked him afterwards. "Yes, Mr. Hux." "Very nice, considering the upcoming scenes we'll be playing together, I think it's appropriate that you call me Armitage in the future." With a forced smile, Rey nodded in agreement. "Well, then see you tomorrow Rey. Kylo, can I talk to you alone for a moment?" With a look at the young woman dedicating herself again to the script that lay on the table in front of her, he followed the redhead down into the audience room, back to the entrance doors that led out into the waiting area.   
  
"Armitage, what are you doing?" Kylo wanted to know from him as soon as the heavy doors leading into the theater hall were closed. "What do you mean? "You swore you'd never work as an actor again, so why now?" "Because I really want to see him on the ground and that only works if the production is a complete success." "In what way?" Armitage looked around and examined it before he approached the black-haired man and spoke quietly: "I signed a preliminary contract with Illenium Productions even before I gave Snoke the rights to the theatre version. If it is successful and it will be, he will want to film it." "But won't he also want to acquire the film rights with the theatre rights? That's how he always does it." "Yes, but if I don't give Bazine the leading role, he only wants to produce it as a play - he wants to put me under pressure with it," Armitage said. "The old scam." "Everything as before, do you honestly believe that anything has changed since you left the First Order almost five years ago? Kylo shook his head and looked around, "I understand why you don't want to help me, but at least train with Rey because she has a great future ahead of her". "I know, her talent is clearly recognizable," Kylo replied with a lowered gaze, whereupon Hux smiled recognizably.   
  
"You like her, don't you? The head of his opposite shot up in amazement. "You don't have to answer me now Kylo, but remember one thing..." Waiting, the person addressed looked at him. "... I know you very well and so does Snoke, so be careful." "Exactly for this reason, I don't want to be there. "I understand, then we'll make sure he doesn't hear about what you're doing in the background." Nickend agreed with Kylo and sealed the collaboration with a handshake. What both men didn't know at the time was that Bazine Netal was standing at the front door of the theatre, watching the two men shake hands.   
  
When the two friends said goodbye, she turned around and left the theatre through the front door, before running to the opposite street and watching Hux leave the theatre unsuspectingly. With a smile on her lips, she dialed a number on her smartphone. "I want an appointment with my father and immediately..." she began and left the scene, in the opposite direction.   
  
In the meantime, Kylo had returned to the audience room where Rey sat on stage and read on the smartphone. When she heard him enter, she looked up and smiled faintly. "Is everything okay?" she wanted to hear from him in an uncertain voice as he climbed the stairs and stopped a little later right in front of her. "Yes, we only talked about one little thing." "Are we going on?" To her surprise, he shook his head in the negative. "But, the scenes between the nightingale and Hunter?" "We'll go to my apartment and work them out so you'll be well prepared in the evening." Rey nodded, grabbed her bag and disappeared inside the wardrobe, only to finally find herself with her back to the inside of the door. As soon as she realized that the attacker was Kylo, she felt his passionate kiss on her lips. "What are you doing" she muttered as his tongue stroked across her carotid artery. His fingers netted against her dark training pants and pulled them down, along with her panties. Willig she stepped out of the garment with her feet and heard Kylo open his belt and the pants found themselves at his foot end. "You belong to no one but me," he explained, lifting her up and signaling to Rey to put her slender legs around his hip, which she did without hesitation. In a flowing movement, he penetrated into the warm centre and, wheezing, adopted a fast but stony rhythm.   
  
"You will never sleep with Armitage no matter what Snoke demands of you. Is that clear? he sighed at her, moaning, as Rey leaned her head back against the door, keeping her eyes closed with pleasure. "Say it! Her loud moaning echoed through the dressing room, leaving his question unanswered at first. "Say it," he repeated his demand to her, pushing his penis harder into her than ever before, touching her deepest inside. "Yes," she exclaimed excitedly and bent towards him to feel him even deeper. "The only one who can surrender in you is me! "Yes," she gasped, "Say it, you are the only one! "You...are...the..." she began and cried out in ectasy: "The only one", while at the same time she reached her orgasm, closed her inner walls around his limb and made sure that he poured himself into her.   
  
"Kylo," Rey said, after she appeared out of the shower area of the dressing room a little later, completely undressed, while the black-haired man closed his belt around his hips. "Yes?" he replied and looked at her. "Are you afraid that Snoke might demand that Hux and I..." She didn't dare to finish the sentence because she didn't want to say it and possibly nourished her inner fear. "I hope not, but I can tell you from experience that it's only good enough for him when the actors no longer perform but experience, in the truest sense of the word." While the meaning of his words seeped into her innermost, she put her head slightly aside. "Did it ever happen to you? Kylo pressed her lips together and nodded. "How did it make you feel? "The first time like a whore." "The first time, that's supposed to mean that you..." Without giving her a direct answer, Kylo turned away from her and opened the door to the wardrobe where he met Phasma amazed. "Gwen, what are you doing here? Didn't Armitage tell you that..." The blonde nodded quickly, pushed the tall man in front of her back into the dressing room and locked the door behind her. Frowning, Rey had watched her action and looked questioningly at Kylo, who shrugged his shoulders and saw her back to the fiancée of his longtime friend.   
"We have a problem, Kylo." she started and then looked at Rey standing behind his shoulder. "Hello, Rey." "Gwen, what's going on?" "Mitaka just called me and told me Bazine went upset to Snoke." "How does he know?" "He's currently staying with him to discuss some logistical issues regarding the play." "Can you trust Mitaka?" Rey interjected questioningly and received a nod from Kylo. "He lost his mother a few years ago after she had been Snoke's mistress for years," Gwen told and watched Kylo step up to one of the wardrobe mirrors and look at herself.   
"What can she possibly want from him? "She'll probably complain to him that Armitage didn't give her the role of nightingale." suspected phasma. "What will Snoke do? "What he does best" Kylo said absent. Asking, Rey looked at the blonde who looked at her with her lips pressed together. "I think it's time she learned the truth, Kylo - only then will she be able to do anything." "No," he exclaimed angrily and struck his fist against the mirror, so that it broke noisily into many pieces. Shocked by his outburst of rage, Rey retreated from the dark-haired man who turned like a wolf and stopped just in front of the tall woman, completely ignoring Rey. "No, she won't submit to him! I will not allow that under any circumstances! "Kylo, we're going to make him bleed for what he did to her. But for that she must..." Gwen said and was ever interrupted by him. "I said no and that's my last word" he announced, unlocked the door and stormed out of the dressing room.   
  
"Gwen" said Rey in a low voice, whereupon the person in question slowly looked at the brunette. "What's going on here?" She touched her shoulders with a gentle facial expression. "Let's go to my place and I'll explain everything to you in peace." "What about Kylo?" "He needs time for himself first." "But... "Gwen asked her again, so Rey finally nodded and followed her out of the dressing room.


	15. Scars - Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day has come, secrets come to light - memories of love, passion, jealousy, injuries and death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Inspiration: Scars - James Bay

With big, astonished eyes, Rey looked around after she had left the elevator immediately behind Gwen and had entered the apartment of her and Hux directly. "Here you live and..." "Armitage together? Yes," the tall woman with the curly shoulder-length blond hair finished her sentence. Trying not to lose her connection, she followed her deeper into the adjacent, spacious kitchen, whose window front provided an incredible view of the East River, which stretched directly in front of the skyscraper in which she had the apartment.   
  
"Gwen, I see you've brought Rey with you," the redhead's voice sounded behind them, turning away from the window front and seeing the man a few feet from her, on the other side of the kitchen island. "Where is Kylo?" he wanted to know and looked around questioningly. "I..." the brunette began hesitantly, looking at Phasma, with her lips pressed together, looking at her fiancée. Irritated, Hux's gaze changed back and forth between the two women. "What's going on here?"  
  
"Bazine is at Snoke's office." With widened eyes he stopped at the blonde. "Where from..." "Mitaka called me, she was beside herself. "That's not good," the redhead mumbled and walked towards the living room area. "Gwen instructed Rey, who followed the tall woman wordlessly.  
  
"She'll complain that I didn't give her the lead role. He'll put Rey under even more scrutiny than we feared anyway." "Kylo is very angry, Armitage." The person addressed looked with pressed lips at Rey, who looked uncertainly at him. "Rey..." he started sighing, set himself in motion and stopped right in front of the brunette. "Yes? "I'm sorry to have to ask you this, but it will be of great importance to Snoke." Nodding she meant to continue him. "I'm usually not a person who intrudes into the privacy of my actors, but because of the situation." "What do you want to know?" Rey asked him in a serious voice, whereupon Hux risked a glimpse of phasma nodding. "Have you ever slept with a man before?" "Yes. "Well, then at least I won't be your first," he said with audible relief and turned away from her before he went into the kitchen area and took a bottle of beer from the fridge.   
  
Frowning, Rey saw phasma reaching for her hands. "Snoke will ask you to have real intercourse - only then will he be convinced of your performance. Since Kylo refuses to step in, which is only understandable considering his past with Snoke, Armitage has decided to do it himself. "But, Gwen... Armitage is your..." "She ended her sentence with a light smile. "Yes." said Rey quietly. "I know, but I'd much rather it was Armitage doing it than someone else not called Kylo Ren doing it." "Gwen I..." stammered Rey, noticeably caught, but the woman opposite her shook her head. "Don't say anything, we must all make sacrifices so that he can be brought down. This one is mine, and it will be you and not that bitch called Bazine". Rey laughed, but she shook her head at the same time. "Kylo, he doesn't want me..." she hesitantly started remembering his words in the dressing room. "I know, but we have no other choice, and when he thinks about it, he will come to the same realization." "What should I do? "We can't force you, it's still your decision," Armitage said with the open beer bottle in his hand. "But you should know one thing before you make your decision." Rey swallowed reflexively hard and waited to see the director. "Snoke is responsible for Kylo not only losing his job because of him, but also his self-respect." "Why?" "Because Kylo feels responsible for the death of a young woman."   
  
"What happened?" Rey wanted to know after looking at the embarrassed faces of Armitage and Gwen. "She killed herself," sounded Kylo's voice, whereupon all three turned around and saw the dark-haired man in the entrance area of the apartment. "Kylo..." began Armitage, but the person addressed shook his head and stopped in front of the fridge, where he took out a bottle of beer, opened it and took a sip.  
  
"She was a young actress, a true natural - just like you now. If we look closely, she was like you in some ways," Gwen said, reaping a destroyed look from Kylo. "What, it's the truth." she defended her statement. "Anyway, Snoke also saw her talent relatively early and made sure she came to me. I was in charge of supporting the actors, as a trainer, so to speak. My job was to get the necessary out of the actors so that they gave their best on stage." Since Rey didn't return anything, he continued in his story. "I was successful and got into Snoke's favor, he even wanted to cast me for his first big movie production and she was supposed to mime my counterpart. In the beginning it was only a love story, but the more he recognized the interaction between us, the more violent scenes he built in and forced me to perform them on her, without her even suspecting that this was only for the upcoming production." "She loved you and you beat her" Rey asked reproachfully, in a soft voice, while Kylo's gaze was directed towards the ground. "Yes, he persuaded me that only an actor willing to do anything would be a true man of his art. I only did what I thought was right." "And she, why did she go through all this? Kylo looked too wordless at Gwen looking at Rey. "She once told me that she had a child and she signed the contract with Snoke for her. As far as we know, she kept sending the checks she received home."   
  
"How did it come to her death?" "Bazine lured me into a trap, she saw us and jumped in front of a train a little later." Shocked, Rey held her hand in front of her mouth while the dark-haired man stared at the floor. "Kylo lost himself completely afterwards and Bazine took advantage of it. Only years later, when he suddenly refused to continue working for Snoke, he threatened to destroy his life." "You went anyway?" "Yes, because what happened to her back then should never happen again to anyone else. I am responsible that there is someone somewhere who had to grow up without his mother," Kylo explained with a bitter voice before running up the stairs leading to the bedrooms.   
  
"Did Kylo love this young woman?" Rey asked Armitage and Gwen after she silently watched him leave. "We don't know if he loved her, but she meant a lot to him. As far as we know, he tried several times to find her family." "Did he find her?" Armitage shook his head and threw the empty beer bottle into the trash.   
  
"I will look after him. I know what it's like to grow up without my biological mother," said Rey and received frowning glances from the two people opposite her. "My mother gave birth to me as a teenager and then released me for adoption. At some point I found out that she had died." Armitage and Gwen looked at each other before the latter said: "Do you know how..." "She killed herself, at least that's what it says in the police records that my adoptive mother received when I was fourteen years old." "Have you ever met her personally?" Rey shook his head. "No, I only know from stories that she was supposed to have worked in acting. For this reason my adoptive father had always been strictly against my professional plans and refused me any financial support until she, too..." "What...Rey?" "My adoptive parents both died in a car accident. Can you tell me where..." "The second bedroom on the right belongs to Kylo," Armitage replied without hesitation and received a grateful nod from Rey, who ran up the stairs with tears in her eyes.   
  
"Gwen murmured as her fiancé took another bottle of beer out of the fridge and opened it. "Do you remember what Kira said about her child?" "That she got pregnant as a teenager and then gave it to a couple friend," Gwen replied and recognized the thoughtful look of her fiancé. "Why do you ask me about it? "Have you ever noticed the resemblance between Rey and Kira?" The blonde stared at the redhead unsuspectingly before her jaw slipped down. "You're not trying to say that Rey..." She deliberately left the sentence open while Hux shrugged his shoulders. "We should find out before Snoke does it for us," he said and looked with his lips pressed together at the staircase of the shared apartment.   
  
Undecided, she first stood for a few seconds in front of the door, which was closed, before hesitantly putting her hand on the door handle and carefully opening it. At first she looked inside the room, which was lit only by a small lamp on the bedside table. Shamefully she could see Kylo's body on the bed, he lay back facing her. "Leave me alone, Gwen." Gently the brunette closed the door behind her and stopped. She could hear an angry wheeze on his part before he rose and said while turning around: "I said I want to be alone...". With shock widened eyes he recognized her, "Rey." he murmured and sat up. "Shall I go again?" He shook his head and then looked at his hands as she sat down beside him. "I didn't want you to know." "Why?" "I already left my old life behind once and ended it. After her death I had also left Snoke behind me and started anew, I never wanted to have anything to do with him again". "As well as the first time? He nodded wordlessly. "Why?" "Because it's too painful, this monster is the reason why I fled both times."   
  
"Both times? "The first time it was my family I escaped from." "Why? "You must know I come from an old acting dynasty." Frowning, Rey shook his head. "I don't know any actor named Ren." Kylo rose nodding and turned on the light switch. "You can't do that either, because Kylo Ren isn't my real name." "But? The dark-haired man looked directly into her eyes and replied: "My name is Ben Solo, my father was Han Solo and my mother...". "Rey whispered in an awesome voice. "Right. My grandfather..." To his surprise she shook her head and raised her hand. "You don't have to keep talking if it's too painful for you." "Like my parents, I was supposed to switch to acting, it was almost predetermined for me and so I went to the same acting school as my mother and her brother - the Jedi Academy of Performing Arts. With widened eyes Rey stood up and walked towards the room door. "But my acting was far too powerful and dominant for them, they wanted me to apply the One and One themes that the Jedi Academy had in mind. Then one day I met Snoke, who had been invited as a visiting professor. Unlike the others, he showed understanding for my impetuous behavior and my penchant for exploring the physical realm of acting. This was the area that was swept under the carpet at the Jedi Academy. Snoke showed me in secret ways how I could also further educate myself in this respect. After the end of the semester he left the Academy and founded his own school." "The First Order" Rey recognized mumbling and received an approving nod on his part.   
  
"When my mother then lost my father, Han Solo, by a plane crash, she completely dedicated herself to her faith. The Jedi Academy, which she had previously founded with my uncle, gave her to him and me right away, as she couldn't handle my open way of living." "I know that the Jedi Academy was completely destroyed in a fire," Rey threw in and suddenly faced open astonishment. "How do you know? Officially, it never reached the media." "My mentor from the university studied there, he told me about it." Surprised Kylo rose and stopped just in front of Rey. "What exactly did he tell you? "That it was officially a short circuit, but in truth something else happened." "And what?" he replied and stepped further into the room, away from Rey. "Luke didn't want to talk about that." Instantly the dark-haired man paused and turned to the brunette. "What did you just say?" "I said he didn't want to tell me." He shook his head. "No I meant the name, because you..." "Luke, that's his name. "What is his last name? "Why do you ask..." "What is his fucking name" he repeated his question, this time with much more volume. "Luke Skywalker" Rey replied with a soft voice.   
  
"Damn!" Kylo screamed angrily and swept the vase from the chest of drawers with one sentence, so that it fell to the ground noisily and broke into pieces. "Kylo, what..." the young woman began in shock and retreated from the dark-haired man, who now reached out for the next inventory and threw it against the wall. Confronted with his sudden outburst of rage, Rey flinched again and again as soon as something collided with the wall or floor, coupled with his screaming attacks. "What the hell is going on?" she suddenly heard the angry voice of Armitage Hux behind her. "He asked me the name of my mentor at the university and then suddenly he freaked out." "Who's your mentor?" Gwen asked while Hux was running towards his best friend. "Luke Skywalker." Before Rey could react, Kylo wriggled out of the red-haired director's grip and left the room angrily. "Armitage.." began his fiancée as he nodded and followed the black-haired man out. 


	16. The End of Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Story of the Skywalker Family - the rise and fall of an acting dynasty.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We take a break and learn the background story of the Skywalker family and their connection with a little girl.  
Song Inspiration: The End of Love - Florence & The Machine

The Skywalker family was a well-known dynasty in Hollywood that began with the appearance of Anakin Skywalker in the late 1930s. Out of nowhere, he appeared and was signed to one of the largest studios in the world. In the most successful film of the early twentieth century, the Chosen One of Tatooine - The Rise of a Jedi, he became world famous. But it marked not only the beginning of a unique career but also the film where he met his later wife. Padme Amidala was the oldest of the Narberrie sisters, who were all active in the acting business. Unlike the others, it was important for Padme to only take on roles that emphasized the strong personality of women. Like Anakin, she was deeply reluctant to degrade the role of the woman to the housewife and the female body in general. Nowadays Padme Amidala could be called one of the first feminists - but was this really the whole truth? It certainly was for the outside world, but it wasn't for the inside, at least not after meeting Anakin Skywalker.   
  
Anakin distinguished himself for his physical portrayal of strong characters with complex problems. His art of being able to convey this to the audience up close on the screen was that he was completely absorbed in the role. If you looked up a book on the history of Hollywood after Anakin Skywalker, you could read the following words: "Anakin Skywalker was the inventor of Method Acting."   
  
Just a few months after Anakin and Padme met while filming the Ascension of a Jedi, they were married in a secret ceremony in Italy. A few years later the young actress became pregnant by her husband. Anakin accepted a film in order to be able to support the family financially, where he should represent a character with severe psychological problems. In order to be able to play it as truthfully as possible, he locked himself up in a hotel room for six weeks and indulged in alcohol together with the dangerous combination of drugs. The latter had been advised to him by a colleague who produced this film - Sheev Palpatine. Unlike Padme, Anakin did not notice how the drugs negatively affected his good-natured and loving nature. He became irascible and impatient, often losing all control while drunk. One evening, Padme was just pregnant, he drove a new car to scrap and ran the remaining kilometers to the common house home. Overflowing with blood, he had arrived at the entrance area and met Padme, who was trying to get him help. But in his drunken rage, which she caused with her attempt, he pushed Padme away from him, so that she fell with her head against a staircase and remained seriously injured.   
  
_"Anakin!" The drunken man looked from the unconscious padme, under whose head a pool of blood had already formed, to a middle-aged man standing in the open door frame, looking at his former pupil in bewilderment. _  
  
_The father-to-be stammered "I..." while Ben Kenobi ran to the severely injured woman and carefully laid her on her lap. "Satine, call an ambulance - quick!" he called out to the woman who had followed him inside the house. Nodding, she reached for the handset of the elegant phone and dialed 911. As she revealed the condition and address, her gaze wandered to Anakin, desperately holding his head between his hands. "Anakin, get help," Ben said in an authoritarian tone, whereupon he cried out to him in an angry voice: "It's all your fault if you hadn't held me back all these years it would never have come to this! As soon as he had finished his sentence, he turned around and left the house in rage. His old mentor shouted "Damn, Anakin!" after him while Satine, who was his wife, kneeled down to the severely injured woman and laid her hand on her arched stomach as she recognized a wet liquid under Padme's legs. "Her water broke!" Partially overwhelmed, Ben saw Satine, who had already given birth to several babies before in the course of her work as a doctor, open her eyes to Padme. "Ben..." The person addressed looked down at the wife of his best friend who reached for his hand. "...there is good in him, I know it is so" she said before her eyes closed. _  
  
_"Damn, quickly fetch a blanket from the back of the bathroom when the emergency call crew arrived at the same time. "Quickly, I am a doctor - give me scalpel and disinfection - we have to get the baby from this woman's belly" she dismissed the men as having handed the suitcase they had brought with them wordlessly to Satine. "Is that..." one of the young men mumbled to the doctor who nodded to Satine's knees. "Let me assist you." "Well, see if your heart's still beating." He put on his stethoscope and listened to her chest area. He shook his head with pressed lips. "Damn," Satine exclaimed as she disinfected the underuse and quickly made the incision to open the abdominal wall. _  
  
_"Oh my goodness," said the emergency doctor as he glanced inside Padmes Unterbauch. "What is it? Satine," Ben asked worriedly as she expertly intervened to get a baby out that the next moment took his first breath noisily and put it in the prepared towel for the emergency doctor. "They're twins, Ben. Padme was pregnant with twins," she explained, as she cut the umbilical cord and immediately devoted herself to the remaining baby, that a few seconds later she also laid in another towel and cut the umbilical cord. "It's a girl and a boy," the doctor said as he held both children in Ben's arms. "Can you get her belly together?" Satine asked the ambulance in a polite voice, nodding without a word. Then she rose, walked up to her husband and took the screaming bundle from his arm that was the girl. "What are we to do with them now?" "I'll examine both of them first, and when they're well, we'll take them with us first."_  
  
Officially, Padme Amidala died by falling down a staircase, and so did the unborn. In truth, the children grew up separately, Leia with Senator Bail Organa's friendly family. Luke, on the other hand, grew up with Anakin's stepbrother Lars, who lived far away from all the Hollywood glamour on his farm in Montana. After Padme's death, Anakin was admitted to a rehab clinic that happened to belong to Sheev Palpatine's empire. No one knew what exactly happened during his treatment, but the fact is that the person who ended up leaving the detox and appeared on the big screen didn't have much to do with Anakin Skywalker. Because of his role choice, which only focused on action films and films with hard to bear content, he was called Darth Vader by many - the dark father, a father he officially never became after he had tragically lost his wife.  
Directed by Palpatine himself, he shot the legendary film, The Alderaan Massacre, for which he received his first Oscar for Best Actor. Next to him, a young up-and-coming hopeful had her breakthrough in Hollywood's acting heaven - Leia Organa. She had only played a few scenes with Anakin, but they had been enough to never work with him again, let alone with Sheev Palpatine. Under the direction of Ben Kenobi she gained world fame when she and the young actor Luke Lars played together the character drama "The boy from Montana", which in many ways resembled the life of Anakin Skywalker and attracted his displeasure. In the context of this it came to the public that Luke Lars was the biological son of Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala.   
  
Palpatine sued the newly founded studio Rebells Production by Ben Kenobi and lost. In order not to lose face completely, Anakin - contrary to Palpatine's wish - agreed to play in Luke's first directorial work - at the side of Leia Organa, who played solo in this film at the side of the female hero Han and fell in love with him during the shooting.   
  
Anakin realizes the truth and that Palpatine had lied to him that he was not responsible for the death of his unborn child. Full of despair he confronted the older man in his mansion and threw him off the balcony before he shot himself in the head.   
  
To honor his father's deeds, Luke named himself Luke Skywalker and made a name for himself as a director in Hollywood. He even rebuilt the drama school that Ben Kenobi and his father had once created - the Jedi Academy of Perfoming Arts in New York.   
  
Leia retired when she became pregnant with her first child after marrying Han Solo. When Ben was twelve years old, Han Solo died in a plane crash and plunged the mother into a crisis that she only overcame thanks to faith. As a result, she left the Hollywood industry and moved her life center to New York, much to the displeasure of her son, who had absolutely nothing to do with her strict conservatism - besides, Ben wanted to follow in his grandfather's footsteps and also become an actor. Since Leia couldn't cope with his temprament and licentiousness, she sent him to Luke at his Jedi Academy, where he met Snoke and finally found someone who understood him and his inclinations. Spurred on by him, he burned down the Academy and drove his uncle to ruin. Officially classified as a gasket, it was speculated that Ben Solo took his own life after setting the school on fire, because after the Jedi Academy ended Ben Solo had ceased to exist - he was never seen again.   
  
Luke Skywalker stood before the ruins of his existence, which he was able to settle thanks to his sister's fortune. He then disappeared for a few years before returning to university as a professor and began teaching. Neither he nor Leia had ever heard from Ben Solo again, let alone seen him. They did not know that Ben Solo disappeared during his training with Snoke to be reborn as Kylo Ren.   
  
Instead, he took care of his mentor's only granddaughter, who had been rejected by her biological mother even as a baby, as she became pregnant at the age of fourteen. Like himself, he took care of her when the girl's adoptive parents died, threatening her with fate in the home. He gave her a home until she came of age and let her go with the promise to continue to support her. To his surprise, one day he discovered her in front of the university library with his lost nephews. As agreed all those years ago, he reached for his smartphone and dialed his sister's phone number.  
  
_"It's me, I found him."_


	17. Castle of Glass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first meeting between Kylo and Luke in almost ten years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, after the last clip, which was released recently, the excitement on the film finally caught me now :))  
In this chapter, Kylo and Luke meet each other again after years of no contact. 
> 
> Song Inspiration: Castle of Glass - Linkin Park

"If you want to be a true performer, you have to rely not only on your talent, but also on your spirit. Do you know who said this?" Luke said towards the students listening to his lecture today. A young woman with reddish brown hair raised her hand. "Yes, Kaydel?" "Stella Adler." "That's right, but which method do you think is the one that feels the best?" "I think..." Kaydel began, but was ever interrupted by the harsh opening of the door to the lecture hall. All looks, including those of the teaching professor, glided to the black-haired man who appeared. A few moments later, another man appeared, with reddish hair, who, like his friend before him, caused the young students to snap their breath occasionally. "Is that who I think he is" was just one of many, partly whispered sentences that echoed in the hall.   
  
Luke's eyes wandered with a polite but expressionless expression between Kylo and Armitage before he became aware of his murmuring students again. "What can I do for you, Mister Ren and Mister Hux?" he asked, clearing his throat and stroking his grey full beard. "We need to talk to you, it's an important matter," Armitage replied instead of Kylo, whose terrifying gaze lay alone on the teacher, ignoring the reactions of the others. "I am in a lecture right now, but at the end of the lesson we are very welcome..." he said and was ever interrupted by Kylo's distinctive voice. "This matter cannot be postponed... Professor Skywalker!" With a hesitant nod, he agreed and immediately turned to the students: "We'll talk again tomorrow, the lecture is over for today".   
  
While the addressed people quickly packed up their objects and books and stowed them in their backpacks, bags and others, Kylo entered and ignored any astonished glances from some female students during Armitage, greeted with respectful words. After the last student found his way out, Luke walked to the door and closed it behind him. In the meantime, Kylo had settled down on one of the many chairs during which companion Love preferred to stand.  
  
"Professor Skywalker, I assume you know who I am," he conjectured and received an affirmative nod from the gray teacher. "Like most of my students here, I know you, Mr. Hux - you are one of the most ambitious directors of our time." Armitage politely said, "Thank you very much," and his friend gave him an annoyed expression on his face that even the older one could not escape. "What gives me the honor?" "It's about Rey Erso," Kylo explained, speaking for the first time since he entered the lecture hall. "Rey Erso?" "Yes. Frowning, the professor saw alternately between the two men. "Miss Erso is one of my students." "Really?" Kylo said with a distrustful voice and leaned back. "Yes, why do you ask? "I happen to know she can't be just one of your random students." With a sideways glance towards Hux, he shook his head. "I don't know what you're talking about." "I'm talking about her calling you by your first name - Luke!" Kylo exclaimed angrily and rose so stormy that the chair wobbled. "That's probably because Rey works in the library as a temp while she's studying." The black-haired man began to laugh theatrically, while Hux looked at Luke with a worried look.  
  
"Miss Erso auditioned me for the leading role of the nightingale," explained the redhead and received an astonished facial expression from Luke. "Well, apparently Rey didn't tell her professor that," Kylo recognized with an audible satisfaction in his voice as he descended stair by stair - directly on the presenter. "No, I had heard about the audition, but I didn't think she would..." "That she dares to apply for such a role," the black-haired man speculated when he had left the last step behind. "Right, after all, the actress must not only be revealing, but also let herself fall on an emotional basis." "You don't trust Rey to do it, do you?" "Why do you care, how do you even know her?" "Who says I know her?" "I saw you both the other day." Looking sideways towards Armitage, he replied with a clear throat: "I have directed her to Kylo to support her so that she can reduce her deficits. The black-haired man now observed very closely how the neutral facial features of the professor of drama and performing arts were painfully distorted and sometimes angry. "How dare you speak of deficits in Rey's work. I've never met a young woman who was more talented than she is." "Is it in her genes, uncle?" Luke's eyes narrowed to slits and he devoted himself to his desk papers. "That's none of your business!" "So yes, where did she come from and why did you take care of her?" "What did Rey tell you?" he asked suspiciously, whereupon Kylo folded his arms. "Nothing at all, except that she knew from you that the official version of the Jedi Academy's demise wasn't true." "Why did you talk about it? Does she know about your true origins and what you did?   
Kylo's gaze slid towards the ground, whereupon Luke sighingly replied: "No, of course not, because you're ashamed of it." Before Armitage could answer for his friend, he had run to his uncle in rage and pushed him against the blackboard. "There are things I am, God knows, really ashamed of, BUT the events surrounding the fire at your Academy are NOT part of it" he spat angrily toward him and then stepped back, turned his back and moved toward his best friend. "I know you don't regret what happened back then." Without comment, the black-haired man reached for the door handle. "Ask her for the name of her birth mother, then you will undoubtedly agree with me as to the origin of her talent." Without answering his uncle, he left the lecture hall where countless students were already standing outside. "Thank you, Professor Skywalker," Armitage politely said goodbye. "If you need anything, you know where to find me," Luke replied, whereupon Hux nodded after Kylo.   
  
Without hesitation he reached for his smartphone, which lay on the surface of the desk and wrote an SMS.  
  
**"We have a problem." **  
  
"Professor Skywalker?" Asking, he looked up from the display, directly into the questioning face of a student. "Is the lecture taking place?" "Yes, of course, take your seats, I'll be right with you," he explained and left the lecture hall with his mobile phone in his hand. In the nearby toilet he took another look at his smartphone, where he had received an answer in the meantime.  
  
**"Which one?**  
**"Ben has contact with Rey, he doesn't know who her mother was." **  
**"We'll meet tonight at my apartment." **  
  
"Ren, wait," Hux exclaimed after they left university and Kylo reached out to call one of the typical yellow taxis. "He knows something! "What do you mean?" the director wanted to know about him while a vehicle stopped in front of the two men. "Whoever Rey's birth mother is, she must have been significant in the world of acting," he said, after he confronted the taxi driver's address, he was confronted with the questioning facial expression of Hux. "Why are we going to Maz?" "She knew almost all the actresses of the last thirty years and was a friend of my parents. If anyone knows the truth, it's Maz." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story is now picking up speed, little foretaste of the next chapter - it's called "The Truth"


	18. The Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kylo learns the truth about rey's origins, and the chaos breaks over him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, here comes the chapter with which it begins to become extremely turbulent. The peaceful times are over.   
At first it's kylo then it's about rey herself.  
Song Inspiration: The Truth - James Arthur

"Why did Kylo get so angry when he found out about Luke?" "Do you know that Kylo Ren isn't his real name?" To the surprise of Phasma, Rey nodded in the affirmative. "He told me before he got completely angry at the mention of Luke." "What exactly did he tell you? Rey shrugged his shoulders and gave a rough account of his revelation: "Who his parents are and that there was a quarrel between him and his family which also involved his uncle. "Did you know that Luke Skywalker is his uncle?" The brunette shook her head. "I had no idea they knew each other." The tall woman understood. "Where do you know Luke from? "He's my mentor and took care of me when my adoptive parents died in a car accident." "Did you just say adoptive parents?" The young woman nodded and put her arms around her slender body to protect her as she walked into the living room area. "Yes, I was adopted as a baby." "Do you know your birth parents?" Negatively, she shook her head. "Luke Skywalker was an old friend of my adoptive parents. They died in the accident when I was twelve years old. Then he took care of me, through him I attended the best schools in New York". "What were your adoptive parents called?" "Jyn Erso and Cassian Andor, but my adoptive mother adopted me before they got married." Gwen nodded with a friendly smile.   
  
"Do you know who your birth parents were?" "My adoptive mother revealed to me on my tenth birthday that I was adopted and explained to me that on my eighteenth birthday she would give me all the documents concerning my origins. "And what did it say?" To her surprise, Rey shrugged her shoulders unsuspectingly as her sad gaze turned to the view over the Hudson River. "I got a box from the notary that is explicitly meant only for me, but I haven't opened it yet." Phasma carefully touched her shoulder and received a questioning expression from Rey. "Why not, don't you want to know where you actually come from? "I don't know. Having learned that Jyn Erso and Cassian Andor are not my biological parents, I was obsessed with finding out the truth. The only thing I know is that my birth mother probably worked in the acting business." Frowning, the make-up artist looked at the young woman next to her. "Why do you think you know?" "Since I was little, I have always liked to play something for others. The carpet in our living room had been my stage. Every Sunday I would perform a different play for them, of course with the help of my stuffed animals," Rey told with a smile on his face, remembering it.   
  
"Again and again my adoptive father emphasized how much I resembled my mother. At first I didn't think anything of it, but the older I got, the stranger I felt this statement. "Why?" Phasma wanted to know. "Because Jyn Erso worked for the Federal Police and had nothing to do with acting. Only after I learned the truth did everything suddenly make sense," Rey explained, looking sadly at Gwen nodding her lips together. "Ever since I knew that, I had become more and more interested in dedicating myself to acting." "Why?" "To be close to my biological mother, it seems to be something that connects me to her." The last sentences were spoken very quietly by Rey. Compassionately Phasma took her in her arms and felt the young woman put her arms desperately around her body and began to cry quietly. "I'm sorry, but this subject..." "It's all right, it's okay to cry," Phasma said, stroking her back in comfort as she looked at the display on her smartphone that was vibrating quietly on the surface of the coffee table. She could clearly read her fiancé's name on the display.  
  
"Why don't you go to Kylo's guest room and lie down for a while," she suggested with a sensitive voice, whereupon Rey nodded to her with a teary face and then disappeared into the back of the apartment. As soon as Phasma was convinced that the young woman had closed the room door, she reached for the smartphone and dialed the callback button.   
  
"Armitage, what is it?"  
"How's Rey?"  
"She recently went to bed. Where are you?"   
"We first went to Luke Skywalker and now we're on our way to Maz Kanata."   
Frowning, the blonde shook her head, not understanding.  
"Maz Kanata? What are you doing there?"   
"I'll explain that to you later, but it has to do with Reys background."   
"Take good care of yourselves."   
"That's what we do, Gwen. See you later!"  
  
Sighing, the tall woman put her mobile phone aside and looked thoughtfully at the wide window front where a ship was about to sail along the Hudson River. Regardless of Armitage and Kylo, Phasma had to find out what he was up to with Rey's mother, because she was sneaking away at the feeling that the young woman with the acting talent might be more vulnerable than they were all aware of. If her suspicions were in any way affirmed, she would be an ideal target for Snoke's unscrupulous machinations and a major problem for Armitage's disempowerment plans.  
  
With her lips pressed together, Gwen opened a drawer on the kitchen island and pulled out a laptop because she opened it and logged into a program. Determined, she wrote a name in the search window and waited for the search results.  
  
**"Name, Rey Erso.**  
**Was released for adoption by her biological mother after birth - documents on this can be found in the attachment. Adoptive parents, Jyn Erso and Cassian Andor. Raised in Great Britain, London and moved to New York at the age of five. **  
**After attending a private school, she was enrolled in a boarding school, but she never attended school because her adoptive parents died in a car accident - Rey Erso was not in the car, which was completely destroyed. According to last will and testament, Rey Erso was then taken in by Luke Skywalker and lived there until her eighteenth birthday."**   
  
To her surprise, there were no further entries about her, except for the document in the appendix which apparently contained the adoption release. Curiously Phasma opened the corresponding file and indeed the corresponding document came to light. She quickly searched for the name of her birth mother and withdrew from the screen when she read the name.   
Without taking her eyes off the letters, Gwen fumbled for her smartphone and dialed Hux's number. "She mumbled in an anxious voice, but in vain. "Damn," she spat it out and closed the laptop in front of her.   
  
At the same time, Kylo and Armitage in Lower Manhattan entered the sixteenth floor of a tall skyscraper and were caught by an older woman in the lobby. She was African-American and wore a red costume with a knee-length skirt. "That I may still experience this, Kylo Ren in my office premises," she said in the context of the greeting and reached the addressed the hand. "Maz, thank you so much for welcoming us," the black haired man replied and looked at his companion. "This is my friend Armitage Hux, he's a director," he introduced the redhead, who politely nodded to the woman in front of him and stretched out his hand, which she nodded. "Mr. Hux." "Miss Kanata." "What can I do for you?" "Could we discuss this in your office, please?" "There's nobody left from my department in the house," she said, but Kylo's insistent facial expression finally made her nod and meant to follow her. Arrived at a spacious office whose window front gave a wonderful view of the nearby Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. "I'd like to have such an office, too," Armitage said, overlooking the landscape that stretched just behind Maz. "Thank you, Mr. Hux. But I guess you're not here for my office or the view." "No, Maz, we're not." Waiting, she now looked at Kylo, who took a deep breath before he said: "I'm here because of Rey Erso".   
  
Frowning, she shook her head at first, but then grabbed a file and laid it in front of her on the desk. "Are you here because I took over the café while she was working?" Frowning, Kylo looked at Armitage who shook his head. "No, we're here because Rey apparently grew up with Luke Skywalker." Sighing, Maz closed her eyes and pushed the file aside before she even opened it. "I didn't know that, but now it makes sense why she asked me to." "What do you mean? asked Kylo suspiciously.   
  
"Your mother..." "Leia..." the black haired man interrupted her, whereupon Maz continued in a calm voice: "...your mother recently asked me to take over a certain café and to pay off the owner." "Why?" "I don't know, she just said it was a personal matter and that she couldn't tell me more about it right now." "She did it for Luke, but why?" Kylo conjectured and looked at Armitage. "Who owned the cafe? "Unker Platt." Tortured, the redhead twisted his eyes while Kylo formed his hands into fists. "He's a pig who's only concerned with his advantage." "That's right, Leia says he works for parts of the First Order." Carefully Hux looked at his friend, who affirmed in an emotionless voice: "That's right, but he is more a necessary evil that causes more problems than solutions". "We've heard that he's supposed to be in debt to Snoke." With a surprised look Hux looked again at the older woman. "How do you know that?" "We have our sources." "Kylo?" "I had nothing to do with it." He fended off his friend's question.   
  
"Fact is, Unkher Platt has left the state after the sale to me, demonstrably and is submerged." "Snoke will search for him if he has not paid his debts" said Hux and received his counterpart. "Do you know who Rey Erso's parents are, Maz?" The interviewee looked for a long time at the black-haired man whom she already knew when he had been a little boy. "I don't know her identity, but I can tell you this." Kylo sat up attentively, looking sideways at Hux who nodded. "Rey's birth mother had been a teenager when she got pregnant. For some reason, she seemed unable to see herself able to care for the baby and had turned to Cassian Andor, who had taken care of the child with his fiancée Jyn Erso. Later I heard from Luke that her mother had been a talented actress, but that she had died far too early." In the last part of the sentence, Kylo's head rang up while Armitage swallowed next to him.   
  
"Is there any way to find out her name?" the redhead wanted to know clearing his throat. "Ask Luke." Raging with rage, the flat hand rang onto the surface of Maz's desk, which acknowledged his reaction with a raised eyebrow. "Miss Kanata, if you will pardon me," he began again as Kylo rose and walked to the window front, burying his hands in the jeans pockets. "We've just come from Luke Skywalker, who wouldn't give us the name directly." "Then there must be a good reason for that." "I don't want to have to ask Rey directly about it," the black haired man said upset and turned directly to the older woman, who looked at him waiting. "That's why we came to you. You have been friends with my family for decades, Maz. You know almost all the secrets, so you will also know what the damn name of her mother is!   
  
Sighing, Maz closed her eyes, giving outsiders the impression that she was giving up her inner resistance. "There's a reason Luke doesn't want anyone to know about her true origins." With an interested look, Kylo's eyes wandered to his friend who asked, "Why? Maz looked from the redhead to the only son of her long-time girlfriend without a word: "Because it has to do with Snoke, isn't it?" The blackhead came to the realization with audible bitterness. "I'm afraid that's how it is." Kylo then nervously drove through his dark hair, while in Armitage a terrible suspicion germinated and watched Maz push a red card index over his desk without any further comment. "Why? he wanted to know about the African American who shrugged her shoulders and leaned back. "It's often these little things that keep us from finding the peace we're often denied for life," Maz said as the director's blue eyes moved across the first page of the card index. "Kylo, I think it's better if we go now," he said as he read and then looked at the woman opposite him. Surprised by the tone of his friend's voice, the dark-haired man returned to the desk and looked confusedly back and forth between the two before noticing the file in Armitage's hands. "Give me what this is..." he said, literally ripping the folder out of his hands and pausing while reading the first lines.   
  
With shock widened eyes he looked over the desk to Maz, whose facial expression was filled with grief. "That can't be, no...Rey she's way too old...to be her daughter," he stammered before reading on. "Armitage wanted to know, whereupon the woman presented him with a picture. "He murmured and stroked the contours of the young woman depicted. "That must not be." he heard the trembling voice of his friend. He gave the picture back to Maz, rose and walked up to his friend, who trembled through the other pages. "No, no, no!" The two present could clearly feel his growing despair. "What should I do now?" he asked with tears in his eyes and threw the file to the floor full of anger. "We shouldn't rush into anything now." Armitage said as the smartphone vibrated in his pocket. "You talked easy, after all you didn't kill Gwen's mother," Kylo spit angrily at him as he looked at the phone's display. "One moment, it's Mitaka" he interrupted his friend and accepted the conversation, it turned up the speaker.  
  
"Hello Mitaka!"  
"Armitage, Snoke wants you in his office immediately."  
The person addressed looked at Kylo, who looked at him alarmed.   
"Why?"   
"It's about the play, he wants to bring the premiere forward by two weeks for unknown reasons!"  
"Two weeks? We haven't even officially introduced him to the leading actress, let alone rehearsed her?   
"That's why I'm calling you, among other things, Snoke wants Poe Dameron, the other male leading actor, you and your desired candidate for the role of nightingale to appear in the theater tomorrow morning at ten o'clock."   
  
Sighing, Armitage closed his eyes while Kylo rammed his fist into the next wall and punched a hole in the wall. Maz twisted her eyes and reached for her telephone receiver.   
  
"All right, we'll be there. Thanks for the info, Mitaka."  
"I'd love to, see you tomorrow then."  
As soon as Armitage had finished the phone call, Maz had dialed a phone number and waited for her answer.   
"When do you call?" the redhead wanted to know while Kylo gave an angry scream and ran around like a restless animal.  
"Leia, it's Maz - you need to come to my office right away...see you soon."  
The black haired man shook his head energetically and wanted to run towards the door, but Maz stopped him.   
  
"Don't do that, you've run away from this encounter for far too long. You need help and support." "I have them, Maz! "Mr. Hux has to concentrate on Rey now and you're not helping now or do you want to deny it?" Kylo looked at his friend with a tortured expression on his face, who nodded with pressed lips.   
"She's right, Kylo. In your current condition, you're not much help to me, let alone Rey."   
"But she'll wonder where I am - she needs my preparation when she meets him tomorrow."   
  
The redhead rose from his chair and brotherly laid his hand on Kylo's back. "She knows everything she needs to know - I saw you together, she has the stuff to convince Snoke." "But what if he demands of her...that she..." His voice was quiet and stammering. "Maybe it's a comfort to you that it will be a friend who will do it and not some stranger." The black haired man watched his oldest friend for a few moments before nodding and embracing him. "I'll call you when it's over." he whispered into his ear before respectfully nodding at Maz, who politely reciprocated his gesture and then left the office. The director wanted to close the door behind him when he saw the silhouette of an elderly woman standing a few feet away from him.   
"Armitage", she noted with astonished voice. "Hello Leia." "You here and not under Snokes influence" she asked, after she had set herself in motion again. "As you can see, I'm here." "Why?" "Because once and for all he has to be stopped." Impressed by his statement, Leia nodded approvingly. "Does my son know about it? "Maz will explain everything to you, I have to go now. See you, Leia," he replied politely, nodded to her and then left the hallway quickly.   
  
The older woman saw the well-known director because she had known him for years before she opened the office door and was confronted with the desperate expression on the face of her son sitting on the chair, directly opposite Maz.   
"Ben? surprised her before she looked at her oldest friend. "What's going on, Maz?" 


	19. Symmetry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Kylo fights his demons, a fight begins for Rey that she has to get through without his help.  
Will she make it? It's the calm before the storm...  
We get also a little view in Armitage´s thoughts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay, we here in europe could see TROS a little bit earlier as in US or CN.  
I will watch it a second time, because is so much so get it.  
I don´t say anything else, no spoilers! 
> 
> For this story:  
this chapter is the beginning of a new part, it will contain a lot of eroticism and also violence, because sn appears in history.  
i will always leave an extra warning at the beginning of the chapter. 
> 
> SONG INSPIRATION: Symmetry - SYML

"Damn!" exclaimed Armitage as he entered his apartment early in the evening and met a visibly surprised Gwen. "What happened?" she asked after the redhead had taken off his warm coat. "Where's Rey?" was his counter question as he walked purposefully toward the kitchen. "She's sleeping in Kylo's room? By the way, where is Kylo?" "I suspect Leia Organa." Frowning, she touched her fiancé's forearm while he took an empty glass from the closet and placed it next to a full bottle of whiskey. "Leia Organa, what on earth is he doing with that woman?" "To seek the solace we cannot give her at this time." Hux said, pouring himself his first glass. "I do not understand." "Kylo and I found out who Rey's mother is. Gwen nodded with a sigh, disappeared for a moment in the living room and returned a little later with a laptop in her hand. While Hux poured himself another glass, Gwen flipped open the screen and opened a window. "Look what I found."   
  
Interested, the redhead glanced at the information that was now on the screen in front of him. "I read the same thing about fifteen minutes ago." "Does Kylo know about this?" He nodded silently as he continued reading, emptying his glass. "It's worse than I thought." he muttered, leaning against the kitchen island. "What do you think?" "The Kenobi were closely allied with the Skywalkers, so it's getting heavier. "Oh, my God, you're right." Gwen realised in shock, took another glass from the cupboard and filled it with whiskey as well. "Give me another refill," he instructed her, then sipped on his glass. "What are we going to do?" "We'll keep this to ourselves for the time being." She shook her head, frowning. "Why not? I think she has a right to know the truth." "She will, but not today or tomorrow." "Why?" The woman with blond hair looked at her fiancé's clenched lips and nodded at once. "It's Snoke, isn't it?" He nodded in silence. "He's scheduled the presentation with Rey tomorrow, I've already written Poe." With shocked eyes she shook her head. "No, I can't - Rey, she's not prepared at all. You two haven't even rehearsed together." "I guess we'll have to make up for it tonight." "Does Kylo know?" "As previously announced, he will not be there." "Understandably, now more than ever, since..." She paused and breathed deeply as she brushed through her blonde hair.  
  
"Please wake Rey up, we really need to use the next few hours to prepare her for tomorrow." "Should I call Dameron to come over?" she suggested, but Hux waved him off. "I've already done that. He'll be here around 9:00." Gwen then looked at her wristwatch. "Good, that means we have four hours."   
  
"Four hours time for what?" Armitage and his fiancée both looked at the young woman standing questioningly in the living room area, looking at them in confusion. "Snoke has moved the premiere up two weeks." Rey looked frowningly from Gwen to the director. "What does this mean for us?" "He has announced the presentation tomorrow morning at 10:00 a.m." With eyes wide in shock, she swallowed hard before nodding. "I see, I'd better call Kylo to go over the scenes with me again," said the young brunette, already holding her smartphone in her hand. "That won't be possible." "Why?" Asking, she looked up from her cell phone as I saw a message sounding on the screen the next moment.   
"It's from Kylo." She recognized in surprise and opened the message.  
  
**"Hello Rey, I went home. **  
**I might have eaten something bad and am under medical treatment because of it. **  
**I have already heard from Armitage that Snoke preferred the presentation. **  
**I'm sorry I can't support you and wish you good luck tomorrow, you'll make it. K." **  
  
While Rey read aloud the message from Kylo, Gwen and Armitage had exchanged looks with each other several times. "Well, I guess we'll just have to do without his services." Rey said after taking a deep breath, but the disappointment was obvious. "Rey-" started the tall woman in a soft voice and touched her shoulder. "Kylo would be here if he could, believe me!" Slowly, the brunette nodded and then dropped the smartphone back into her vest. "Poe Dameron will be here at about nine o'clock in the evening, until then we should work on your part, so that we can then take care of you and his part," Hux explained and received an affirmative nod from her.   
"All right, Gwen will show you your costume and help you with your fitting. We'll meet you in the living room," the red-haired director explained in a matter-of-fact voice, leaving the two women alone while he climbed the stairs himself. Quickly he pulled out his smartphone and wrote:  
  
**"Rey has just read your message." **  
**"It will be easier for her until she knows the truth."**  
**"Where are you? **  
**"At my mom's house on the Upper East Side. **  
**"The day is full of surprises." **  
**"You have no idea."**  
**"Do you want me to let you know how it went?**  
**"I know she's in the best of hands. Take good care of her, Armitage."**  
**"We will, Kylo. **  
**"Thank you, Kylo.**  
  
With lips pressed together, he first entered Gwen and him's shared bedroom before entering the enclosed bathroom. He was always aware that his plan to overthrow Snoke could make some sacrifices. At that moment when he saw Rey on stage, he was sure he had found the right woman for the lead role of Nightingale. The young woman radiated such a fragility and strength at the same time that Rey was not even aware of it. The only flaw was that she actually possessed a shyness that affected the erotic area and this was of enormous importance for the female lead role. She was supposed to seduce and finally be seduced before she found the strength again to face her own demons and her enemies. Had he known the storm he was unleashing with this arrangement by asking Kylo for tutoring, his decision regarding the casting of Rey would have been different? Probably not, because she was the only possible woman who fit into his picture of the nightingale and who had nothing to do with Snoke - at least he had been of this opinion until a few hours ago.  
But now, with the revelation of Rey's biological mother and her irrevocable connection to Kylo, his plan of Snoke's destruction was in immediate danger. What could he do now to get ahead in his actions, to take his plan to the next level?   
  
_"Do what must be done - do not hesitate, show no mercy!" _  
  
The sounds of Sheev Palpatine, one of the most famous directors at the University of Los Angeles par excellence, came back to his memory. Snoke had internalized these words and had almost burned them into the memory of his staff and subordinates as a motto. It was a mantra, if you were employed for the First Order, you were obliged to do everything to lead the company to victory. Sighing, he opened an ark, reached for a package inside and pulled out some condoms. Inside he hoped that the young woman would not go the same way as her biological mother had once done. She too had been innocent and had agreed on certain limits for herself, but Snoke's promise of success and the prospect of getting her little daughter back had left everything behind and she had begun to overcome all the limits she had known before.   
  
He himself had never had the luck to work with her as a director, he had only been an assistant to Snoke's grace. At that time the current president and founder of the First Order was still working as a director and had directed the Broadway play. It had been very promising and with Kira Kenobi in the leading role it would have been a great success, maybe the biggest one Manhattan and the theatre scene had ever seen.   
  
"Armitage?" Gwen's voice tore him from his memories and made him look up, where he recognized the tall woman in the open door frame to the shared bedroom. "Is everything all right?" she asked in a worried voice as the redhead looked at the packages in his hand. With her lips pressed together, she gently touched his hand and carefully put his fingers around the condoms so that they disappeared inside his fist. "I feel dirty when I'm about to do this." "You're doing it for the greater good, we all knew it wasn't gonna be easy." "Not only do I feel guilty about Kylo, but I feel guilty about Rey, too." "We will be gentle with her and Poe will be gentle with her." "No matter how much I despise Dameron at heart, we can always count on him on our side in this regard." "Maybe we should include him?" Surprised by Gwen's suggestion, he looked at her accordingly before shaking his head. "No, the fewer people know about it, the better it is for all concerned." His fiancée nodded understandingly, kissed him gently on the cheek before leaving him in the bathroom. With one last, deep breath he followed the tall woman out and met Rey in the hallway, who had just stepped out of the guest room. She had changed in the meantime, as she was only wearing a dressing gown of beige silk. Her brown hair was loosely tied into a simple outfit.   
  
"Shall we?" he asked with a gentle tone, which Rey affirmed with a slight nod. As they walked side by side towards the stairs, Armitage carefully placed his hand on her back, which she noted with a timid smile. "How is this going to happen now?" she asked when they met Gwen downstairs, who had been waiting for both of them. "We have another one next to Kylo's room and we're going to use it." she explained to the young woman and meant to follow her. With a queasy feeling she entered the room behind the tall woman, where she saw a spacious double bed and opposite two small comfortable chairs and a small table in between. With a queasy feeling in her stomach she looked behind her and watched the red-haired director close the door behind him.   
  
"I can understand if you would have Kylo as your partner, but considering the situation with Snoke..." Hux started while he stood the young woman undecidedly in front of the big bed and stared at the blanket. "That's true, but Kylo explained it to me. So let's get started." With a last, partly uncertain look from Armitage to his fiancée, who nodded at him, he moved towards the young woman, who looked at him with partly anxious eyes.   
  
"Try to relax. He mustn't look at your insecurity or fear. In general you must never show your weaknesses in front of Snoke, otherwise he will use them against you one day."  
Understandingly she affirmed and let it happen that he tied the belt of her robe and loosened the knot with one hand. She felt the cool room air on her naked body. "Tomorrow you will wear the same negligee as today." he continued with his explanations while opening the dressing gown and sliding it gently over her shoulder, so that it slid noisily to the floor. "Look at me." Obediently, her eyes wandered up from his hands to his face. "We will now step by step go through the choreography for tomorrow, in the presence of Gwen. In the meantime, you can keep asking me or her questions. After that she will leave this room and we will make it real." The thought of getting intimate with a man other than Kylo made Rey swallow hard, which neither Armitage nor Gwen could escape. "It's not easy, but you will learn to see it for what it is." "and what's that?" she asked in a low voice. "For what it is, Rey." Phasma interfered, whereupon she looked at the blonde with a frown. "A play." she heard his quiet voice. She closed her eyes for a moment, as if she was letting go inside, before she looked at the redheaded man again and nodded in agreement. 


	20. Cruel Intentions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey meets Snoke & the audition for the play.  
Rey was convinced that he had been sufficiently prepared by Kylo and took all the warnings from him and Armitage seriously. 
> 
> Will all their efforts finally be enough for what awaits her?   
It will be the opposite of a simple audition - literally

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since I have been ill since Christmas, this chapter has unfortunately been delayed. Originally I wanted to post it before New Year's Eve, but now it has changed.
> 
> I would like to make only two remarks about the content.  
First, it is the most brutal and at the same time erotic chapter I have ever written. Who has a problem with this content, better leave it alone and wait for the next chapter that I will post at the latest on Sunday. 
> 
> Second, it's the slow conclusion of the innocent Rey we have met so far. 
> 
> SONG INSPIRATION: Cruel Intentions - Cold Driven

Nervously Rey sat in the dressing room while Gwen brushed her hair according to the role of Lilith. The young woman had shoulder-length, brown hair while Rey's own hair reached almost to her hip. "It may be that Snoke will demand that you get your hair cut," said the theater's make-up artist and costume designer, and could observe the young student's hazel eyes widen for a moment before nodding with a sigh. The tall woman with the blonde hair paused in her movement with the brush, watching the younger one's gaze fall on her lap. "Rey." she started gently, put the hairbrush aside and crouched down beside the woman in the chair. Astonished, she looked at her, since they were now on the same eye level. "I know that last night was anything but easy for you." She shook her head in silence. "Would you like something to make it easier?" Frowning, the brunette could see the director's fiancée pull a tray box from her jacket. "What is it?" "It will help you not to let it get so close." "How long will the effect last?" "A few hours."   
  
Before Rey could answer, the door of the dressing room was literally ripped open and Poe Dameron stood in the doorway, breathing heavily. "He has just arrived." "We'll be right there," said the tall blonde, whereupon the dark-haired man nodded his head in the direction of Rey and closed the door behind him. Without any further comment, the female lead actress reached for the tablet, put it on her tongue and in one go emptied the glass of water that had been standing in front of her on the sideboard of her dressing room. "Let's go," she murmured, put down the empty glass and left the dressing room immediately behind Gwen.   
  
"Where is the mystery actress you spoke of, Armitage?" Rey heard a scratchy man's voice as she arrived at the side of the stage. "She's already here, Mr. Snoke," Gwen said with a fake smile and entered the stage in front of the brunette, followed by herself. For the first time, she caught a glimpse of the man she had only heard of before, a man she had never seen before. As expected, he was already older, over sixties and bald. His body was wrapped in an elegant, dark-colored suit and he seemed to need a walking stick because he was supporting the right half of his body on it. To her discomfort she could see a snake on the tip of the walking stick. His piercing, blue-colored eyes clung to her silhouette from the moment she entered the stage behind Gwen. She could literally feel his inquiring gaze on her body and how he gazed at her almost eagerly.  
  
"So that's Rey Erso," he said, walking majestically up the stairs to the stage where she found herself facing him for a few seconds. With a firm expression on her face, she looked straight into his frightening eyes. "You've chosen a strong personality for a strong character, Armitage," the older man acknowledged with a nod towards the redhead who was standing next to a visibly worried Poe Dameron, while the president of the First Order Company Rey circled another animal to look at her from all sides.   
  
"Miss Erso, you know who I am?" Rey looked straight ahead, with an almost emotionless expression on his face. "You are Richard Snoke, founder and president of the First Order Company." "I am the founder of this theater here," he declared after he stopped in front of her again. "I alone am responsible for the great success this house has enjoyed here on Broadway." When the young brunette answered nothing, he continued, "Do you know through what play?" She shook her lips as she passed him. "Look at me!" he instructed her harshly, whereupon Ray's eyes moved to his. "Through no part, for there was none." "Really?" she asked, and could tell from the corner of her eye how Poe looked alarmingly at Armitage, who swallowed "No, but it had to do with the leading actress at the time, not with the skill of the rest of us." "What happened?" "She killed herself, but in the end she didn't stand the pressure." Shocked by the cold-heartedness of his voice, Rey forced herself to keep her own feelings hidden. "Show business is not for the faint of heart." "That's right, though," Snoke said, and took a step towards her, almost touching her. "Tell me, Rey Erso - are you strong enough to be the nightingale?" he asked in a low but audible voice. The person addressed looked directly at him again before she replied dryly: "Yes, that's me!   
  
With a sneaky smile he stepped back. "Well, prove it." "How?" she asked, inwardly anticipating that she might regret her question the next moment.  
  
_"He will probably choose the scene that is unsurpassed in brutality." _  
  
"I want to see the rape scene between the nightingale and the hunter, not acted," he explained as he descended the stairs. Rey's eyes wandered to Gwen, who stood on the side of the stage and closed her eyes with her lips pressed together. It was exactly the situation she had warned Kylo about and Armitage yesterday.   
"Who's going to be the Hunter," Armitage asked in a business tone, knowing that it was a purely routine question. "Since your leading man dropped out at the last minute and that man is no longer available for this kind of scene, you'll do it - Armitage." With a quick glance at Poe, he cleared his throat discreetly. "With respect, Mr. Snoke, I might as well do it." "Your talent honors Dameron, but you're much too soft for that." Nodding, he lowered his head and joined Gwen backstage. "Well, let's get started." he instructed Rey and Armitage, after settling in a chair in the front rows.  
  
"I'll give you some advice for tomorrow," Armitage said, putting on an old, crumpled shirt, and Rey settled on the edge of the double bed in the guest room. "Which one?" she asked, in a slightly trembling voice. "If we're gonna have sex tomorrow before Snoke, remember this - put your head in that room, that dress rehearsal. If nothing else, think of Kylo to get in the mood, but never mention his name." Nodding, she agreed to his request.   
  
Rey recalled his advice as Armitage put on the Hunter's crumpled shirt and walked up to her with a monstrous look after her after standing in front of the double bed. She blanked out everything around her and focused only on Armitage and her movement, remembering everything they had done last night.   
  
"Look who we have here," said Hunter in that dangerous voice that had become a familiar face to her over the past few days. "I beg you to bear with me," she asked him in a trembling voice as he approached her with slow but steady steps. Instinctively she retreated from him and let herself sink to the edge of the bed. "Exactly where you belong - in my bed!" he explained as he arrived directly in front of her. "I don't belong in anyone's bed." "Except your husband's?" "That's right. "Your husband is dead, I killed him!" he spat out and bent over her while she felt the soft blanket in her back. "No," she said with tears in her eyes, whereupon he began to laugh devilishly. "But as he looked into the barrel of my gun, I explained to him exactly what I would do to you if I had the chance." Frightened, she began to tremble as his fingers skillfully opened her robe, revealing her body underneath. Her delicate figure was covered only by a thin nightgown and underneath her nipples were clearly visible. "I'm going to lick her buds until they stiffen." During his words, he had pushed the straps from her shoulders, exposing her breasts in the process. Roughly, almost roughly, he took her nipple in his mouth, spoiling it with her tongue before biting and making her moan. "Her moaning will echo through your bedroom, but it will be through my doing and not you through yours," he continued his narration while he pushed the robe off her body and she was just lying there with her panties underneath him. His fingers searched his way under her panties and between her clefts where he roughly ran over her clitoris, causing her to moan again.   
  
"I will feel her wetness and it will be through my fingers and attention, her loins will never feel your cock again but always only mine," he said, tearing her panties and penetrating her with a violent push. "My penetration will make her groan, she will scream with delight, I will thrust so hard into her." he proclaimed and with his ever faster, ever more rapid movements made the woman beneath him moan his name louder and louder: "Hunter, Hunter." "Yes, say my name - I'm gonna fuck you, so you won't remember his name in the end." Before the young woman realized what this meant, he had pulled out his penis, turned her body around so she found herself lying on her stomach and penetrated her vagina with a violent jerk from behind.   
  
"Very well, now I want you to use the other hole," Snoke instructed in a loud voice, whereupon Armitage looked panting and partly distorted face at the older man, who nodded with relish. Unable to see what he was grateful for at that moment because of the position of Ray's face, he pulled back his erect limb, pushed her head down forcibly and penetrated her tight butt hole, causing the woman beneath him to cry out in pain. Gwen closed her eyes in disgust and felt Poe take her hand next to her and squeeze it firmly. Seeking help, ashamed of her fiancé's actions and the pitiful attempt to block out Ray's painful cries and groans, she returned the handshake on her part.   
  
"Massage her clitoris, she must enjoy it, after all she surrenders completely to Hunter and his machinations," Snoke explained objectively, whereupon Armitage obediently stimulated the sensitive part of the woman under him with his index finger, so that she pressed her hip against his and her agonizing sounds gave way to erotic moans. "Fuck me, deep Hunter - do it!" she exclaimed deeply aroused, so that a short time later he was audibly poured into her.   
  
Armitage lay over the naked figure of Rey with a heavy heart and said into her ear: "You are no longer his wife, you are now mine - Hunter's nightingale." "Yes, that's me, for now and always," she replied with a heavy sigh.   
  
After a few seconds of silence, in which the two actors slowly regained their breath, Snoke began to clap. "You will not hire another leading actor, I want you to do it yourself. Rey Erso, you have no idea what a career lies ahead of you," he said in an impressed voice as he stood up. "I want to see you in my office tomorrow morning where we will discuss your contract - good work, Armitage," he said before turning away from the stage and leaving the auditorium without a word of goodbye.  
  
No sooner had Snoke noisily closed the door behind him than Armitage looked in the direction of Poe. "See if he's really gone." The dark-haired man nodded and followed his instructions, running down the stairs into the auditorium towards the exit. Meanwhile, Gwen, in her warm robe, walked to the bed and switched places with her fiancée, covering the trembling figure of Rey. "I'll get changed and then call Kylo," he explained in a low voice before he quickly left the stage over the side area with a last, sad look in the direction of Rey.  
  
"Rey," said Gwen in a soft, sensitive voice as he slowly sat up and clumsily tried to wrap his robe. "Let me help you." offered it and touched it only after the young woman nodded tentatively. "I'm so sorry, Rey." "Kylo had warned me, but I could never imagine..." She paused and scattered tears streaming down her high cheekbones. With her lips pressed together, she looked angrily at the woman with blond hair. "He's a monster, Gwen." "I know, Rey," she replied softly, tightening the belt around her waist. "I wanna go home and take a shower. I feel dirty. I just want to feel hot water on my body." "Let me take you home." She gratefully hugged the make-up artist and let her tears flow. 


	21. Looking Too Closely

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> During Rey's hellish experience in the theater, Kylo has an enlightening conversation with Leia - always in mind his concern for Rey.  
He finally learns the whole truth about Ray's origins, which will change everything - not only for him, but also for Hux. 
> 
> Song Inspiration: Looking Too Closely - Fink

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Firstly, thank you for your feedback, I always welcome constructive criticism. A few words about the content of the last chapter.  
I deliberately wrote before the chapter that it is violent and if you have problems with such, just don't read it. I have thought a lot about whether what happened to Rey can really be called rape. Yes, it is an indirect one rape, but I deliberately chose Hux as her partner so that she at least has to suffer this terrible experience by someone close to her - but not as close as Kylo does. 
> 
> **I abhor any kind of violence and condemn ... and anything else that is not done by mutual agreement between two or more people. It is to be condemned when one person uses violence against another, in whatever way. **
> 
> _From personal experience, which was very drastic, I can or must say that it is not easy when you are suddenly at the mercy of such things._
> 
> Does it fit into the course of this story, was it necessary to write something like this? Unfortunately yes, because it should represent the character of Snoke. We are dealing with an absolutely unscrupulous person who has his own wishes and ideas, who uses them destructively and who doesn't hesitate to use his subordinates to satisfy his inclinations. 
> 
> It was not easy to write this last chapter. I did it in the knowledge that I must also expect negative reactions. But regarding the character journey that Rey will experience in this story, it was unfortunately essential.  
____________________________________

"What's your connection to Rey Erso?" Leia asked as soon as Kylo had closed the door to the apartment behind her when he had grown up. "She auditioned at Armitage Hux for the role of the nightingale." The older woman settled on the beige couch while the black-haired man paused in his movement. "Sit down." "Thank you, I prefer to stand." "Okay, so Rey auditioned for the part That's not a reason for you to be in contact with her yet. From what I understand you retired from show business completely several years ago." Kylo raised one eyebrow before shaking his head. "Well, you're very well informed." "I never forgot you, even after you left us." Annoyed, he sighed. "You know why I left, I couldn't live with your rules anymore." "They were only for your own protection." Smiling, he turned away. "Anyway, how did you get in touch with Rey?" "Armitage referred her to me with a request to take care of her deficit." His mother, shaking her head, raised her eyebrows. "Deficits?" "Rey is afraid of any kind of intimacy and her own body." "Rey is a very delicate personality, she has experienced many things." "She told me about her adoptive parents' accident before I found out that... "...Luke took care of them." Kylo looked up from his womb into his mother's brown eyes. "right." "ben..." "My name is Kylo." "I gave birth to you and you will always be Ben Solo to me." "Whatever you say," said the pejorative. "I've worked with Rey and will be closer to us as a result." Leia looked at her son for a few seconds before clearing her throat. "Rey showed early signs of acting talent. As a little girl, she repeatedly took part in various performances in kindergarten, elementary school and later on also in high school. After the accident of Jyn and Cassian, she first withdrew completely before she moved to a boarding school with Luke's help. There she completed her education and from then on refused any help from him." "Why?" "She didn't want to be dependent on anyone because she always felt she was alone in the world." Frowning, Kylo shook his head. "I don't understand." "When Rey turned ten years old, Jyn and Cassian told her the truth about her origins and gave her an envelope." "What did it contain?" "All the information about her birth mother." "She told me she didn't know who she was." "That is correct. To my knowledge, to this day she has not opened the envelope. "All she knows is that her acting talent is probably due to her mother.   
  
"She wanted to make it on her own." Kylo recognized in an absent voice, which Leia nodded affirmatively. "True, she accepted part of his financial aid, but because of her connection to Luke, she was not entitled to a scholarship. So she put Luke up in the library and she took a part-time job in a cafe. I understand she lives in a shared apartment in Brooklyn." "No more," Leia looked up in surprise from the teacup she was holding between her hands. "Pardon?" "She recently moved into a friend's apartment, I believe her last name is Tico." "Then the rumors are true." "What rumors?" "That the Elder Tico Sister wants to make a new life for herself in Australia." With a shrug, he sipped from the glass of water that was on the dining room table in front of him. "You must be close if you know that." "We do." "How close?" "Mother..." he began in a warning voice. "I have to know, Ben." "I'm not a teenager anymore, so I need your consent." "No, that's not what this is about." Frowning, Kylo watched his mother get up and come back from the next room with a file she had presented to him.   
"What is it?" he asked, whereupon Leia made him look at it. "Reys birth mother, Keira Kenobi was a natural at acting. "but a ruthless, powerful man in Hollywood took advantage of it." "what happened?" "He got her pregnant at 16. "Rey?" surmised the black-haired man as he opened the first page and looked at a photo of young Keira Kenobi. "She really looks like her mother," he muttered. Why it is only now that I really notice this, he asked himself. "Yes, indeed she does, and that's where the problem lies." While she was talking he flipped through the pages and found Rey's birth certificate. "Reya Kenobi, father unknown." "He refused to acknowledge himself." "Who is her father?" "There are rumors but nobody knows for sure. "What do you think? "I think that whoever knows the truth is ultimately responsible for her death." Kylo paused in his movement and looked at his mother. "Snoke," she said, whereupon her son shook his head and placed the folder on the surface in front of him.   
  
"we must first bring down the person responsible before we confront rey with the truth of her origins." "Then you won't have to look far," he murmured and closed the file in front of him. "no, because we know it was snoke." To Leia's surprise, Kylo shook his head. "It must've been Snoke, there's no one else closely connected to Kira." "But there was another person in her life." Interested, she put her cup aside and looked at him, waiting. "Who?" "He is sitting in front of you. "It was me, I killed Kira," he explained in a dry voice. Unbelieving his words, she shook her head again. "No, I don't believe it..." "But it's true, I'm responsible for Kira's death."   
  
The older woman looked at her son with an inquiring look before sighing and asking, "What exactly happened?" "She killed herself because of me." With eyes widened in shock, she rose and looked at him accordingly. "What have you done?" "I taught her and we became closer." "Like you did with Rey?" The dark-haired man turned away from her and she sighed again. "Oh Ben." "It's not the same, Kira and I..." He paused, searching for the right words. "It struck me then that she who was ten years older than I was During a pause, he also rose, began to wander about the room. "Our relationship was at first merely physical, but then, eventually, she began to see more in me." "What about you?" "I was very fond of her." "Did you love her?" "Love, I guess I thought so until recently, but now since then..." Leia looked thoughtfully at her son's desperate expression before continuing: "...since Rey came into your life, haven't you?" With clenched lips he nodded. "I wanted to break it to her gently that I could not fulfill her hopes and asked Snoke for advice. Had I known what would happen next..." "What did he say?" "That he would take care of it, which I guess he did." "what happened?" Kylo lowered himself back into the chair opposite his mother and nervously ran his thick, black hair "Snook's daughter Bazine had always had her eye on me. One day she caught me off guard. Something that, unfortunately, did not go unnoticed." "Kira?" "Yes, she threw her off the bridge shortly after.   
  
Leia took a deep breath in and out before clearing her throat. "It's not your fault - if anyone's to blame, it's Snoke." "He didn't force me to sleep with her or start this affair." "You were young and probably didn't know any better." Doubting, he held his jaw and shook his head. "To repress my guilt I threw myself into an unhealthy relationship with Bazine, coupled with sex and alcohol." As expected, his counterpart swallowed violently before continuing: "But I see you've made the jump from Snoke." "Yes, at some point I myself noticed the questionable methods he uses, and also what happened to Mitaka's wife, or the thing with Armitage." "I spoke to Lando, he signed a contract with him." "Yeah, he wants out as much as Phasma." "How did you do it?" He raised one eyebrow in confusion. "I'm not out, Mum - I've just cut off all contact with him and stayed away from any connection with the First Order Company." "Then why did you and Rey..." "It was just supposed to be a favor to get Armitage to jump, but now..." The older woman interrupted him as she rose again and stepped behind her desk to pick up the phone.  
  
"Kaydel, can you come in, please?" Kylo glanced questioningly at the screen of his smartphone as she spoke. "Do you always have your employees around you, even at home?" he asked as his gaze lingered on the cell phone. "Kaydel is my personal assistant, and occasionally she does small jobs for the company. Frowning, he looked up as the door was opened behind him, a young woman with reddish hair entered. "You wanted to see me?" "Yes, have you met my son?" Surprised, he realized she hadn't introduced him by his birth name. The young woman shook her head and politely offered him her hand. "Kaydel Connix." "Kylo Ren." "I've heard of you, Mr. Ren." "Really?" he asked with a raised forehead as she walked beside Leia. "Before Kaydel worked for us, she worked for the First Order Company. Surprised, he now looked at the woman in front of him and tried to place her face. "I've never heard of you." "I've heard even more about you." "What's that? "You were Snook's lapdog for many years, did practically everything for him." "Yeah, mostly cleaning up his mess and doing damage control." Kaydel nodded approvingly. "But then suddenly they were gone, from every record and payroll - it was as if they never existed." "Nor will I do it for Richard Snoke unless I actively participate in the business."   
  
"At the time, I was gathering all the information I could on the demise of Kira Kenobi." Kylo looked at Leia in silence, which meant the young woman was to continue. "Just before I was discovered, I found something interesting but I couldn't place it." Curiously, he looked at a folder that Kaydel placed on his desk. "I've had more of those files in the last few days than I have in five years put together," he muttered before opening the first page. "I should find out why Snoke was so interested in Kira Kenobi." "And?" "The answer is on the last page." Leia replied, whereupon Kylo opened the corresponding page with a glance to his mother. "Her background." she added as his dark eyes wandered across the lines.   
"What?" he asked with raised eyebrows. "That was also my first reaction." "How is this possible?" "That's what we all wonder, and actually, we were hoping you could give us an answer," Leia said. "I have no idea. Until a few seconds ago I had no idea the old man had a child." "It seems that way, or else that last name wouldn't be written there." Nodding, Kylo leafed through it all again, but even he didn't understand how it could be. "You know what this means?" "Of course I do, it complicates things a hundredfold." "If what Kaydel found out is true, it would change everything, Ben - everything!" Before Kylo could react, his smartphone rang with a message.   
  
**"Come to our apartment-- NOW!" **  
  
With his lips pressed together, his eyes kept wandering over the message. "Is something wrong? "It's Armitage, he had promised to call as soon as Rey's performance at the theatre was over," he reluctantly explained. "Did it go well?" "I don't know yet, but I have to go now," he replied, wrote his reply and finally let the mobile phone disappear into his trouser pocket as usual. "Take good care of yourself and call me as soon as you have news," Leia asked him when he had opened the door and stood in the door frame looking at her. "I will."   
About twenty-five minutes and a taxi ride later, he stood undecidedly in the foyer of the apartment complex. Normally he would have walked straight to the elevator, pressed the button and a few seconds later entered the apartment of his closest friends. But now that he knew the truth in more than one respect, something held him back.   
"Kylo." Questioningly, he raised his head and saw the worried face of his red-haired friend as he stepped out of the elevator. "What are you doing here, why don't you come up?" "How is Rey?" he answered his question and felt his heartbeat increase in speed as he watched his expression darken instantly. "is she up?" "No, Phasma took her to her own apartment. So we can talk in peace." Nodding, he followed the director into the elevator that brought her to the apartment.   
  
"How was it?" "It was good that we warned Rey and also rehearsed last night." Armitage started and placed two whiskey glasses in front of Kylo and himself, which he filled with the alcoholic beverage.  
  
"So nothing has changed, it's still the same procedure." "Yeah, except he seems to have taken a liking to Rey." Kylo's head shot up with an alarming expression as he tightened his grip around the drinking glass. "What do you think?" "He wanted to watch the rape scene and while Rey and I..." He paused and drank the glass empty in one go, only to take the next shot right afterwards. "What did he ask you to do?" "Not only did I have to take it from behind, but I had to take it anally." Tormented, Kylo closed his eyes while at the same time the glass shattered under the violent pressure of his fingers and caused bleeding cuts on him. "Shit!" exclaimed Armitage in horror, retreating slightly from the kitchen island, where shards of glass were now scattered.   
  
As if in a trance, the black-haired man looked at his bleeding hands while the red-haired man hurried out of the kitchen to return a little later with a first aid kit. "It must have been humiliating for them - for both of you," Kylo said while Armitage fished some broken glass from his cuts with tweezers. "It was, but Rey was extremely professional. As long as Snoke was in the room, she didn't let on." The hint of a proud smile found its way onto Kylo's face, but it was replaced by a painful gasp as Armitage treated the cuts. "He called Rey to his office tomorrow." "alone?" "I suppose so." "We can't let him talk to her alone." He dressed the injuries with a frown. "What for?" "I have learned something from Leia that could change everything." "Like what?" he wanted to know after he resealed the first aid kit after Kylo's hands were bandaged. "Reys paternal lineage." "Father? I thought the point was she was the daughter of Kira Kenobi." Kylo nodded with a sigh: "I wish it were just that, but it seems that Rey is turning out to be a real surprise egg. Before he could reach for a new glass, he felt Armitage's hand on his arm. "Don't beat around the bush, what have you learned?" "Rey is a palpatine." The redhead's eyes widened instantly. "excuse me?" "Yes, she is the only granddaughter of Sheev Palpatine." "Wait, are we talking about the same Sheev Palpatine that's responsible for your whole family's misfortune?" "I'm afraid so," he said, toasting his friend with his glass before emptying it.   
  
"If Snoke finds out..." Armitage muttered with a thoughtful face. "...you can throw all your efforts to the wind, for the First Order Company grew out of the remains of Palpatine's Imperial Studios. He will do everything he can to get Rey on his side." Kylo finished his thought process and received a horrified expression on his part. "This is the bitter truth, Hux, start embracing it." "what are we going to do?" "hope that rey will choose the right side." he said, poured himself another glass before reaching for his smartphone that he had previously placed on the marbled surface of kitchen island. "What are you going to do?" Armitage asked alarmed. "I will tell her the whole truth before he can do Snoke tomorrow." "But..." "No buts, Armitage. I'm tired of hiding from him." "Kylo, we can still keep you under the radar, he has no idea about your involvement yet." The black-haired man shook his head and dialed a phone number.  
  
"Gwen, it's Kylo - are you still with Rey?" That he hit the speaker button, Armitage could hear the whole conversation.  
"Yeah, I'm with her. She's in the shower right now."   
"Well, stay where you are, Armitage and I are coming over."  
"I don't think that's a good idea Kylo, she's not well at all."  
"I know Armitage told me about it, but considering the news I've gotten and her appointment with Snoke tomorrow, it's imperative."   
"Rey is not in good shape..."   
"Kylo is right, Phas." her fiancé now joined the conversation on the phone.   
"Well, then I will tell her. I'll see you later."  
  
Without waiting for her reaction, the woman with blond hair ended the conversation.  
"Then we'll destroy all the efforts I've put into his destruction over the past few months," Armitage said with sarcastic tone as he took his leather jacket from the wardrobe.   
"We destroy nothing, except for Ray's affection for me." "Kylo..." "Let's leave before I change my mind." With clenched lips, Armitage nodded to him and left the apartment, followed by him. On the way down the road, he wrote a single message:   
  
**"I'm going to tell Rey the truth." **


	22. Don´t Keep Driving

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Rey is still struggling with the aftermath, Kylo decides to tell her the whole truth.  
(mention of violence) 
> 
> Song Inspiration: Don´t Keep Driving - The Paper Kites

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After 21 chapters we have reached the inevitable point, Kylo tells Rey everything. Since I don't know if I'm going to post this weekend, I'll post the next chapter tomorrow or maybe even today - it's directly related to these chapter.

"Do you really want to go through with this?" Gwen said with a worried look at the sleeping figure of Rey, who was lying and sleeping on her double bed in the bedroom. She had retired after her shower and had fallen asleep a few minutes before Kylo and Armitage arrived. "It's not what I want, it's what's necessary." "It will destroy your relationship." "We never really had a chance, she'll get over it," Kylo replied, whereupon Gwen looked sadly at her fiancée, shaking her head. "Let me know if you need anything." Nodding his gaze arrested on Rey's sleeping silhouette as his two friends quietly closed the front door of the apartment behind them.  
  
"No, please don't. No!" he heard Rey's loud voice, whereupon he ran towards the bedroom and saw in the open door frame the trembling body of the young woman, who was sitting bent over and sobbing in the middle of her double bed. "Rey." he said sensitively and approached her with slow steps. "Kylo?" she asked, looking at him through her tears as she tightened her grip around her body. "I am here." Carefully he settled down next to her, only to be embraced by her like a life belt a few seconds later. "You were right, Snoke is a monster." With a thoughtful look, he stroked gently over her damp, brown hair. "He uses his actors as if they were his subordinates. He sees physical, erotic activity as an outlet for his perversion." "Why do you think that?" "Why else would he have ordered Armitage to take me not only from behind, but anally It was so degrading, Kylo. How could you have stood it for years?" Because I enjoyed living out my own erotic fantasies, the black-haired man thought ironically.   
  
"I thought it was right, Snoke told me that it was standard for actors to go beyond their limitations to be believable to their audience." "I heard something similar from Luke once." Kylo closed his eyes painfully, remembering many a lesson with his mother's brother. "What is Luke to you?" "He is my uncle," he replied honestly. "Why did you run away?" "Luke and I have always had a strained relationship." "Why?" "It's a long story." "We have time." He took a deep breath. "That's true, though I'll tell you something different today." "About you?" "Yes, in part." She looked up at him with a frown, her expression resembling that of a small child about to be terribly disappointed. He knew this expression well, for it was the one he knew whenever his mother had no time for him as a child. "Before I begin, I want to tell you that I have always been sincere and honest with you since the moment we first met. She nodded hesitantly. "Good, because I am sure that after I have finished telling you my story, you will not trust me anymore. You won't even be able to look at me." Kylo..." she started mumbling, so he paused. "...you scare me." Nodding, he rose from the double bed she was in and began pacing up and down the bedroom while he spoke.  
  
"I told you there was someone. She was an exceptional actress, and several years older than myself. Snoke had sent her to me at that time so that we could work on her skills, which we did eventually. As you know yourself, you get very close, as close as two people can get, and then sometimes feelings come into play. Like every client before me, I told her that we will only socialize for professional purposes. Normally this had always been sufficient. In between, he glanced at Rey, who was still looking at him with her open eyes. "But not so with Kira, she was an exception from the beginning - in every way. It was probably those very components that attracted me." "You had an affair." recognized the brunette and got a nod of approval from him. "It was very intense, but while I was able to keep a certain distance, it was impossible with Kira." "In what way?" "She was a very sensitive and emotional person, she had already been through a lot in her young years. Maybe that's exactly why she was able to embody the most profound roles so perfectly." he speculated mutteringly before he became aware of Ray's presence again and continued clearing his throat: "Snoke was very fond of her, but he knew that Kira was also a problem." "why?" "Because she had a child who was raised by friends. "She always sent them half of her own salary so the child would have a financial cushion."   
  
"Why didn't it grow up with Kira herself?" "As the doctor later discovered, she was an extremely unstable personality who was impregnated at the age of sixteen. She was far too young to take care of a child by herself." "Was that her or was it her acting plans?" she interrupted him. "I suppose it was a mixture of the two." "Did you ever see the child?" With pressed lips, he paused in his movement, pondering for a moment before asking, "Then?" She nodded affirmatively. "No, I did not." "When I realised she was beginning to influence my work with other clients, I turned to the one person who was closest to me then." "Snoke," Rey recognized with a bitter voice. "yes." "what did he do?" "He just meant he would take care of it." "Then what happened? "Bazine. Ray's eyes widened instantly as she remembered the story Kylo had told her. "Kira, what was her last name?" "Kira Kenobi," Kylo replied, lowering his eyes. "She committed suicide. I heard about it when I was a child. My adoptive parents were shocked, my father especially was devastated. I never understood then why he was so upset." "And for good reason." Kylo muttered as he turned away from Rey, but she understood his words. "what do you mean?" refusing to look at her, the young woman rose and walked over to the dark-haired man who went to his backpack that was on the chair by the door. "There's something I have to tell you." Frowning, Rey watched as Kylo pulled a dark red folder from inside the backpack and turned to her.   
  
"When we met, I had no idea who you were. It only revealed itself to me like a puzzle, I've only had certainty for a few hours. I wish I had more time to prepare you, but since Snoke wants you in the office tomorrow and considering your father's background..." Confused, Rey shook his head. "What? What are you talking about?" "Everything you need to know is in here," he said in a serious tone, handing her the file with everything about Rey's background and Kira Kenobi's career in it. The dark-haired man watched as the young woman turned away from him and opened the first page. As he suspected, she stopped her movement immediately and looked up with a shaking expression on her face. "Kira Kenobi is my mother?" Not able to speak, he just nodded affirmatively. After some moments, she settled down on the end of the bed. "Now I understand why they always said I got my acting talent from my mother." he heard her voice as she turned the pages.   
  
"She killed herself because Snoke had sent his daughter after YOU asked him for help." she recognized with a shattering voice and looked up at him with an angry look. With tears in his eyes he affirmed her statement with a simple yes. "You then had an affair for years with the woman responsible for her suicide." "Yes," he repeated, while a single tear ran down his cheek. Breathing heavily, she tried to regain control, whereupon the dark-haired man tried to approach her, but Rey raised her hand defensively. Kylo paused in his movement while the young woman in front of him took a deep breath before looking at her with a serious expression in her eyes. "You were right about one thing, Kylo," she said in an amazingly calm voice. "I don't want to see you here anymore, I want you to leave!" Because of the sudden cold in her voice, he swallowed hard before nodding, reaching for his backpack and leaving her bedroom and then the apartment without further comment.  
  
As soon as the doors of the elevator to the foyer opened, he noticed with astonishment that Armitage and Phasma were sitting on the comfortable chairs. "What are you doing here?" he asked, audibly and visibly surprised. "We've been waiting for you," Armitage replied. "Why?" "Because we knew." With his eyes lowered, Kylo felt the supporting hand of his longtime friend on his shoulder and followed Gwen. She gave the doorman a friendly nod of goodbye and left the foyer, followed by the two men.   
  
Meanwhile, Rey sat up on her double bed and let her eyes slide over the individual documents that had been in the folder until recently. Practically her whole life lay here before her, where she came from and why she ended up exactly where she was now. "Kira Kenobi, daughter of Ben and Satine Kenobi," she read and looked at the photo of the young woman just before she died tragically. "Krenic Palpatine, son of Sheev Palpatine, mother unknown." Frowning, she wondered where she had heard that name before her eyes widened. She hurriedly ran into the adjacent living room and reached for an encyclopaedia. She opened it unerringly on a certain page and read:  
  
_"Sheev Palpatine, murdered by Anakin Skywalker, formerly his protégé and successor to Imperials Studios and Productions. Sheev Palpatine died in a suspected gas explosion, the mastermind Anakin Skywalker himself died badly injured in the arms of his son Luke Skywalker." _  
  
Disgusted, Rey backed away from the report and gasped audibly for breath. How could Luke keep this from her all these years. As it looked, everyone knew about her true origins but she herself. No one had the courage to tell her, even Kylo only did it when there was no other way. "No!" she shouted out, grabbed a glass and threw it against the kitchen wall where it shattered into numerous pieces. After more glasses were broken, she was interrupted by a phone call. Questioningly she paused, reached for the smartphone where she could recognize Luke's name. With an enraged look she pushed his call away and finally switched off the mobile phone and put the glass back on the work surface of her kitchen.   
Then she grabbed her laptop, because she had left Rose to her when she moved, and looked for something in particular. As soon as she found and read this, a plan formed in her head and made her smile strangely. At the same time the doorman's message tone sounded, she slowly stepped to the phone and picked up the receiver. "Yes?" "A Luke Skywalker would be here for you." "I don't want to speak to him, good night!" she explained in an icy voice and ended the conversation. She didn't want to hear any explanations or even excuses now, nobody could understand her now - NO ONE! "The only one I can trust is myself at the moment," she murmured and reached for Armitage's script. She had to be convincing at Snoke tomorrow morning at all costs, whatever it takes. 


	23. Into Darkness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey meets Snoke, who reveals his true intentions to her.
> 
> Song Inspiration: Into Darkness - Thomas Bergersen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I decide to post it now.  
It´s the point of no return for Rey - what will she do?

Two hours before her appointment with Snoke, Rey stood indecisively in front of the large cupboard whose contents once belonged to Rose. Normally, she did not want to help herself to the designer pieces of the older Tico sister. But now that she was possibly about to take an important step in her career, she knew that she couldn't show up there in simple jeans and a white blouse. Maybe this was also the time to leave her old life behind and start a new chapter in it. This also included clothing and since Rose would not need it anyway, she reached for elegant, dark-coloured trousers that wrapped around her slim legs. She chose a matching black satin blouse by Paco Rabanne. The top was held together only by small, silver-coloured buttons. Matching her dark outfit she chose knee-length boots in the same colour by Ganni. Her outfit was rounded off by a red trench coat. Her long, brown-coloured hair she had pinned together to a strict outfit and fixed with hairspray.   
  
Then she reached for one of the many designer handbags that were in a corner of the walk-in closet and left her apartment smiling. "Miss Rey?" asked the porter, obviously surprised by her designer outfit, so that she stopped in front of him. "Have you decided to go back to Miss Rose's clothes?" "You know, Bob. I have a very important professional interview coming up and I thought this outfit could be very helpful." "Can you tell me how long Luke Skywalker was here yesterday? The man made a painful face. "He was very insistent. Before he left he left a message for you," Bob explained, shoving a note across the counter. "Thank you very much, I'll probably be back by evening." Nodding, the doorman said goodbye to the young woman who raised her hand outside and disappeared a few seconds later in a taxi.   
  
"You take care of her, Bob - Snoke is not to be trifled with," was Luke's voice as he walked out of the office behind him. "I know, Mr. Skywalker." "She can never know you worked for my father before." The man with the gray hair nodded his head in agreement before leaving the foyer through the outer door. Next to Luke, she didn't notice Kylo standing across the street, his face deeply hidden under a hood. With pressed lips he watched as Rey, unfamiliarly dressed for her, disappeared into the yellow taxi. He then disappeared around the corner into a side street.   
  
Arriving at the foot of the modern skyscraper, she got out and was already expected by Mitaka in the foyer, who apparently had a conversation with the doorman while he was waiting. "Miss Erso?" he asked, visibly surprised by her outfit. Satisfied, she nodded at him. "Please follow me, Mr. Snoke is expecting you." Together they entered an elevator that was available off the others. "This elevator is only used by First Order Company employees," explained the man with the short, cut hair. "How long have you worked for Richard Snoke?" "I was recruited by First Order after I graduated college." Before Rey could reply, the doors opened and a spacious foyer appeared. "Please wait a moment," Mitaka instructed them and disappeared behind the double-panel office door after a brief knock. Rey looked around and couldn't help but ask if Kylo or even her mother herself had been here in these rooms before. "Mr. Snoke will see you now." Nodding, Rey moved and entered the spacious office, which was furnished entirely in dark wood. The man with the scary, wrinkled face rose from his oversized leather-covered chair and approached her with a broad smile. "Miss Erso, it is a pleasure to welcome you to my office," he said, reaching out his hand to her. "Thank you very much for inviting me." she replied politely and took his offered hand. His strong hand grip left Rey in no doubt as to who possessed the greater power here. "Well then, Miss Erso - may I call you Rey?" he said after he had settled back into his chair and pointed to the seat opposite him.   
"Of course." she said as she stripped off her trench coat and put it over the back of the chair. She could feel Snook's eyes moving over her body as if it were a single piece of meat. "At first I was very sceptical when Armitage Hux told me he was casting a newcomer for the part of a nightingale." he began, opening a file in front of him. "But when I saw her and her excellent acting and improvisation after my invention, I was deeply impressed. Having seen this only once before in my life and lost this unique talent, I want to get it right this time." Frowning, Rey shook his head. "Years ago, a young actress sat here once, with hopes and dreams. Like you, Rey, she was also highly gifted and possessed an extraordinary charisma. Back then, I placed her training in the hands of my protégé, whom I trusted like no other. A mistake, as it turned out in the end." Rey tried hard not to show any of his outward appearances. "I won't make that mistake a second time, believe me Rey, I'm well aware of who you are and who your mother is." With eyes wide in shock, the young woman gasped for breath. "That is the only reason you are even here today. Any other newcomer like you - a nobody, I would never give the chance to star in one of my productions. But as the daughter of Kira Kenobi, things are different here.   
  
"What do you want from me?" she asked in a distant voice, suddenly unsure of what to do next. "I want to sign you to work exclusively for me." "What do I get in return?" "An excellent acting education and a breakthrough as an actress. After two years you are free to withdraw from the contract, but until then you are mine." Rey's eyes wandered to the binder, where in big letters was the word contract. "That sounds like serfdom." "You are free, in any way, but you would not be able to work for another production company for two years. I'm giving you a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get Rey started as an actress." Skeptically, she took a look at the contract. "How long do I have to think of an answer?" "one day." Nodding she wanted to reach for the contract and was stopped by Snoke as he reached for her right hand. "keep in mind,however,that if you refuse,I will make sure there are consequences for certain people." Frowning, she shook her head, her hand remaining under his. "What do you mean?" "I'm talking about me suing Armitage Hux for signing a preliminary contract with Illenium Productions. "I'm also talking about putting Gwen Phasma out on the street, and she'll never work on Broadway as a make-up artist again." With a horrified look on her face, she ripped her hand out from under his. "Finally, I will make sure the secret of Kylo Ren is revealed." "Kylo Ren who?" To her horror, the frightened man rose and knelt before her and put his right hand on her thigh, his lips to her ear. "I know that you met, that he slept with you - several times. First he had the mother and now the daughter, how must it feel for you to have been treated like a whore by him. The man responsible for the death of his godfather's daughter." 

Completely confused, Rey looked at Snoke, who was now very close to her face. "I see he didn't tell you the whole story." Satisfied, he got up and returned behind his desk. "Kylo Ren is Ben Solo." "I know that." "Oh, well, are you also aware that he was named after your mother's father - Ben Kenobi?" Rey couldn't stop her jaw from sliding down. "That's what I thought, because the boy tries to shake off everything in his past, but no matter what he does, he keeps getting further and further into the spiral." "What do you mean?" "His grandfather, Anakin Skywalker was responsible for the death of his wife Padme, and only then could Sheev Palpatine use all his skills. That is exactly what I am about to do." "What are you doing?" Rey breathed in fear. "I will destroy the legacy of Anakin Skywalker and with it Ben Solo, and you will be a great help to me." "Besides Armitage and Gwen, what happens to Kylo if I don't?" "I will kill him, and I will deal the deathblow to Leia." With his lips pressed together, Rey reached for the pen that was next to the contract and without hesitation put her signature to the contract. "Very well, we'll begin immediately," he replied, adding his own name and calling for Mitaka over the phone.   
  
"Mitaka, I want you to bring Gwen Phasma to me immediately, as well as my daughter Bazine." At the mention of the latter, an unpleasant twinge went through Ray's body. "Excuse me, did you just mention Bazine Netal?" "Yes, she is my daughter, but we don't want to make that public so as not to give the impression that she has been given all her previous roles solely because of our personal relationship." Nodding, the brunette let it go. "Well, Gwen will dress her up so you won't have to resort to a wardrobe that's over a year old. Bazine will take care of her image." "Won't your daughter be angry with me now that she's not getting the part of the nightingale?" Snoke looked at the young woman in front of him and began to smile deviously. "You have already made the acquaintance of Bazine." Silently, Rey confirmed his assumption. "Well then, I will put it this way - Bazine will provide the necessary pepper in their transformation. But first..." He paused, stood up and approached Rey. "Stand up and let me look at you!" With wobbly knees, she followed his command and approached him. 


	24. Illusions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Phasma unintentionally gains an insight into Rey's new world, Hux wants to help her while Kylo refuses to take a single step towards it? Why doesn't he see himself as capable of that?
> 
> Song Inspiration: Illusions - Thomas Bergersen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few warnings in advance:  
\- Mention of drug abuse  
\- Sex  
\- Suicide  
\- Cheating

"How long since you've heard from Rey?" Gwen wanted to know while they both had breakfast. "Since I told her the truth." "that's been two weeks." "How about you?" he asked, sipping his orange juice. "Not much better. Armitage has received instructions from Snoke alone to put all samples on ice." Frowning, Kylo looked up from his omlet and received a nod from them. "There's something going on, Gwen. Snoke never does anything without an ulterior motive." "I know, and that's what worries Armitage, especially since we haven't heard from Rey since." "Maybe I should check her apartment." "We already did, the doorman told us she hasn't been home in a week." Frustrated, Kylo drove himself through his thick, black hair "It certainly has to do with Snoke, maybe I should get in touch with Luke." "Are you sure you want to do that?" With an uncertain look he nodded before the elevator doors opened and a visibly excited Armitage entered the apartment.   
  
"What happened?" asked Gwen, who looked alarmingly at Kylo, who seemed no less worried. Without further comment, he threw a program on the marbled surface of the kitchen island where Rey was visible from the cover. "What's that?" she asked, while the black-haired man tormentedly rolled his eyes towards her. "This can't be true," he murmured, reached for his smartphone and dialed a number. Frowning, Gwen looked at the image of the woman who had little in common with this innocent woman. "What's with the eye shadow?" Armitage muttered, while Kylo's gaze recognized the guilt-ridden look in Gwen's eyes. "You were at the shoot, weren't you?" The redhead gazed with disbelief at his fiancée, who wasn't looking at him. "Is it true? Did you know about this?"  
  
_"Rey, what's this all about?" she asked the young woman, most of whose long hair was cut off on the floor, while the rest was supposed to be shaped into a bob. "I'm being restyled according to Mr. Snoke's wishes." Frowning, the blonde looked at the young woman through the mirror. There was nothing to remind her of the open and loving nature she had once known. Instead, she seemed to have built an emotional wall around herself. "Gwen, how nice that you're here." she heard the artificially polite voice of Bazine Netal. "Mr. Snoke contacted me, so here I am." "Well, as you well know, dear Miss Erso here is going to be the new nightingale. Mr. Snoke would like to make her the new figurehead of the First Order Company. To do so, we need an extensive makeover. Her unnecessary hair has already been stripped, her entire wardrobe changed, and now you shall give her a new makeup." "What are his wishes?" "Passion and darkness shall represent her." With a side glance at Rey, whose gaze seemed completely empty, Gwen nodded and reached for the first bottom rope._  
  
"I don't know what he did to her, but that wasn't the Rey we met anymore," she said while Kylo walked nervously around the kitchen area. "What he had done with all the actresses before." "Do you really think he was hitting on her?" Armitage speculated, whereupon Phasma looked at him with a shocked look, but Kylo shook his head. "No, I don't think so. But he'll have her with something in his hand, I'm sure of it." "What shall we do now?" Sighing, Kylo looked at the cover before putting it back. "We'll do nothing for now, just wait and see." "Kylo, you can't do this!" "Yes I can, 'cause getting in the way of Snoke won't help Rey or us." Outraged, Phasma saw him nod to Armitage with his lips pressed together. "We have to prepare for rehearsals and then concentrate on the production. Everything else will come in time." "And Rey?" "She knows enough to get by for now," Kylo said, grabbed his winter jacket and entered the inside of the lift before pressing the ground floor button and disappearing behind the sliding doors.   
  
"Why does he react so dismissive, why won't he help her," Gwen asked in a desperate voice as she continued to look at the cover of Rey. "Because he's afraid he'll do something wrong again if he interferes." "You mean like he did with Kira?" Armitage nodded affirmatively. "You weren't there then, but he was really miserable the first time after Kira's suicide." "I know I met him when he was in the middle of a drug frenzy." "He's probably afraid of slipping again." "What are we going to do now?" "Like Kylo said, nothing except our work for now."   
The man with dark hair wandered the streets lost in thought. Hiding his face under the dark hood of his sweater, passersby could not see his sadness. To distract himself from the loud noise of the streets, cars and people in general, he grabbed his headphones and listened to the saddest, most thoughtful songs he could find on his playlist. They reflected his emotional world in an accurate way. What had become of his vow never to get involved with another person again - after all that had happened to Kira.   
  
_Kylo stood on stage among the other actors and drank a beer. After the successful dress rehearsal they all came together to celebrate the upcoming production. "She was just great!" he heard again and again from the audience, who all spoke of the performance of the leading actress. "Kylo." he heard Snoke's voice as his gaze glided to that corner where some actors and staff were bending over the table. "Mister Snoke," he said, clearing his throat and looking earnestly at the middle-aged man. "You've done a very good job, Kira's performance was outstanding." "Thank you very much. "However, I'm afraid she still doesn't understand that I was just doing my job and not..." The man smiled sneakily and mentally put one hand on his shoulder. "I have already taken care of this problem." Frowning, the young man followed the look of his teacher where he could watch with great astonishment that Kira joined the other persons at the table. Like the others, she grabbed the offered, rolled up banknote and went down on her knees. She bent over one of the numerous small lines that were made of white powder. _  
  
_"No, I don't take that kind of thing - it's no good." _  
_"Oh, come on, Kira - we all do it!" _  
_"No Kylo, I have a child - I'm not allowed to do this." _  
  
_Reluctantly, she led the rolled up banknote between her nose and the white powder, before taking a deep breath, applauding and cheering. She laid her head back, eyes closed, and breathed in and out a few times before a blissful smile formed on her face. _  
  
_"You see, now she is finally one of us," he heard the amusing voice of Bazine, who had stepped next to him at some point. Irritated, he looked at the young girl who was wearing her school uniform before she also stepped to the table and resembled Kira who started to move seductively. _  
  
_"What did you do to make her..." he started stammering towards Snoke, who was sipping his champagne glass with pleasure. "I told her that she needed a push and that it would help her to keep falling, otherwise she wouldn't get the part." Kylo nodded absently, aware of the ruthlessness of the man who had taken him under his wing a few years ago. He didn't know why or how, but something inside him began to stir. "What's wrong, Kylo? I thought you wanted me to help you?" "Of course, sir." "Then go over there and do what you do best, I need you a hundred percent!" Obediently, the dark-haired man nodded, stepped over to the table, grabbed a bank note and snorted a good dose of the white powder. No sooner had the powder disappeared from the table than all his worries were swept out of his head. With a confident look, he grabbed Kira's arm which approached one of the other actors and pulled himself towards him. As if drunk, he put his lips seductively on hers and started a tiresome tongue play. _  
  
_"Let's go to my place and I'll show you how hot you are," he muttered seductively into her ear whereupon Kira agreed with a smile. _  
  
_With a grin on his face Snoke had watched Kylo disappear from the stage together with his leading lady. _  
  
_"Bazine." he shouted, whereupon the young student broke away from one of the men present and ran to him. "Yes, Father?" "I want you to go to Kylo's apartment tomorrow morning, wait for a good opportunity to seduce him." he instructed his daughter and handed her a key. "Why would I do that?" "I want Kira to finally realize she can't have Kylo, he's mine!" "Can I have fun with him?" "Do what you want with him, my love, as long as you don't stand in my way." Bazine smiled slyly, kissed him on the cheek and returned to the man from before and continued the passionate game. _  
  
Lost in thought he walked along the streets until he finally arrived in front of that cafe where Rey had been working until then. Sighing, he entered the interior and went to the throne where a young Asian woman was serving the customers. He lined up like everyone else behind the last one and waited until it was his turn in front. "Good afternoon, what can I do for you?" she began with a smile that froze at the same moment she recognized him. "Rose." he began after reading her name tag. "Hello." "Is Rey there?" She looked to her colleagues for help. "Could you take over for me quickly? I have to go to the boss's office in the back. The young man nodded in her place while Rose told him to come to her. He quickly followed her to the back, where she stopped in the open doorway. "Maz, I think someone here wants to talk to you." Without another word, she gave him a tentative smile and returned to the sales room.   
Frowning, he saw the elderly woman behind a small desk who rose with her lips pressed together and then hugged him before closing the door behind him. "Maz, what are you doing here?" "I'm the manager of this cafe." "You, but how?" The woman looked at him in silence before Kylo realized, "Leia." "Yes, she was looking at Rey's goodwill the whole time." "Where is she?" "She came to me two weeks ago and quit." With eyes widened, Kylo leaned against the door behind him. "Why?" "She didn't say much, but the strangest thing was..." "Yeah?" "She wasn't alone here. There was a young woman with her." "What did she look like?" "Dark hair and an eerie, piercing look." "Bazine." Maz nodded and sighed. "Did she say anything?" "She thanked nicely that she could work here, but that now she's turning over a new leaf in her life and she has to leave everything behind." "Those are Snook's words, I know them all too well." Kylo muttered thoughtfully. "What are you gonna do now?" Maz wanted to know from him. "I don't know," he said with a sigh, and sat down in a depressed state on the chair in front of Maz. "For the first time in my life I'm scared and I don't know how to deal with the fact that Rey..." He paused and looked hesitantly at his palms.   
  
"What exactly happened to Kira back then that made her kill herself?" Maz asked him after a few minutes of silence. With tortured eyes, Kylo took a deep breath and remembered that fateful day.  
  
_"We shouldn't have done this," Kylo muttered while Kira looked at him lovingly with a sleepy look. "You understand me like no one else, Kylo. For the first time, I feel like someone is judging me not just by my looks." The dark-haired man drove nervously through his hair while the woman sat down in front of him, her bare back turned to him. Lost in thought, he touched the contours of her spine that made Kira look over her shoulder with a smile. "Maybe we should just leave and start over somewhere else." To his surprise, she turned away from him, grabbed her blouse and put it on. "I can't leave so easily, I finally got Snoke to take me seriously. He promised me I could have my baby back soon." Before Kylo could react, Kira had left the bedroom. Confused, he first closed his eyes when he heard a noise from below. Quickly he pulled his shorts over, grabbed the baseball bat that was in the corner of the bedroom and walked down the stairs almost silently, where he met a smiling woman standing on the edge of his living room wearing only a trench coat. "Bazine, what the..." he began, before the young woman took off her autumn coat and stood in front of him with provocative underwear. "What the hell is this? How did you get my..." Before he could speak any further, he suddenly felt her lips on his, while her hand slid purposefully under his boxer shorts. "Bazine, don't..." he appealed with a groan as his limb swelled under her constant movement. "Come on, I know you want me," she whispered salaciously in his ear and maneuvered him against the wall. _  
  
_Due to the stiffness, he lost all control over his actions, tearing her hand from his boxer shorts. Instead, he spun with Bazine so that she had her back to him. He quickly took off his boxers, literally ripped her panties and sank deep into her with a loud moan. Fogged with lust, he didn't notice the shocked expression on Kira's face, who was standing at the beginning of the stairs a few meters away from him, now dressed. "Yes Kylo, fuck me," Bazine moaned excitedly as she stretched her pelvis towards him so that he could penetrate her even deeper. "I will." he replied moaning, opening his eyes and looking into Kira's horrified face. Because of his own excitement, he couldn't stop his movements but just closed his eyes and concentrated on the sex. "Let her go!" he heard Bazine's voice after Kira had closed the door noisily behind him. What do you mean, "Let her go"? "That you belong to me, I know what you need." Angrily, he poked her several times before pouring himself deep into her and instantly withdrawing. "Are you saying you planned this?" he realized in a shocking voice as he put on his boxer shorts before reaching for a pair of jeans and the T-shirt Kira had worn shortly before. "It was necessary for her to get away from you, just like you!" Shaking his head, he reached for his key and hurried out of his apartment. Meanwhile, Bazine reached for her smartphone that was in her trench coat and dialled a number. _  
  
_"It's done." _  
  
_Meanwhile Kylo ran after the crying figure of Kira, running down the road towards the Hudson River. "Kira!" he shouted, but the woman kept running, increasing in speed. "Damn!" he said and noticed her arriving at the piers, turning purposefully to the right. Being careful not to get run over by the constant traffic himself, he could see Kira disappearing into the nearby Museum of Aviation. "What do you want in there?" he murmured before following her inside. Quickly he got a ticket and followed her at a certain distance. Frowning, he realized that her path led purposefully through the building, back to the area where a Concorde was exhibited. "We had always talked about seeing this museum together." he heard her voice as she descended the steps towards the Hudson River and stopped in front of the barrier. "I know, and we can do that too, if you like." "No!" she said before turning around and looking at him with a desperate look on her face. "Why Kylo?" He noticed how the other Visitors slowly became aware of the two and approached. "She tricked me, I didn't want to." "I don't believe you." she said simply, turning and laying her hands on the wooden surface of the fence separating her from the Hudson River. "Kira, what are you doing?" cried Kylo, alarmed by her movements as he slowly approached her from behind. "The only thing that seems right at this moment" "Which is?" "To free you from me!" she replied, and with a swing, stepped onto the barrier. "Kira, don't - please don't do this," he exclaimed full of desperation and tears in his eyes as more and more people gathered behind him and watched in shock as she began to take action. "No, Kylo don't tell me what to do!" "Please, Kira, think of your little baby." "I am, she'll be better off without me - she always has been!" "Kira don't!" cried Kylo as she turned to him and said her last words, "Goodbye Kylo!" before dropping back and disappearing into the waters of the Hudson River. "Kira!" cried the dark-haired man desperately as he held on to the parapet and looked out for her. _  
  
_"No!" he exclaimed and held his head while the people next to him looked shocked into the waters, also looking for Kira - but in vain. "Damn!" he exclaimed and wanted to throw himself into the waters when he felt a strong arm on his forearm. Questioningly he looked to the right and glanced into the shocked face of Luke Skywalker. "Uncle...there was nothing more I could do..." he stammered. "Get out and never come back." Not knowing, completely confused and shocked by what had just happened in front of his own eyes, he nodded at the man and hurried through the crowd from the scene. _  
  
"Later in the news I heard that they had found their bodies near Pier 90," Kylo said as his gaze wandered absently into the void. "Do you know why Luke was there?" "i have no idea, but at that moment it seemed the only right thing to do was to follow his advice." "You know that it was he who reported you to the police." "Yes, and for that I hated him for years, I blamed him for my downfall. Everything that happened after that, I blamed him for a long time - my affair with Bazine and the constant use of drugs, I blamed Luke Skywalker for all that." "And now?" Kylo sighed and put his right hand on his head. "I don't know, now that I know that he has watched over Rey and everyone else all these years..." "you have to make peace with the past or you will never be able to help Rey."  
  
Nervously Kylo rose, knowing that Maz was telling the truth. "How can I do this? "I still have a standing contract with Snoke. "Once I go against him in public, I put everyone in danger." "You are also not to terminate your contract, but to fulfill it." Shocked, he turned and saw the figure of Luke Skywalker standing in the open doorway. "What should I do?" he asked in an incredible voice. "You shall work for Snoke again!" "The hell I will!" "If you want to save Rey, it's the only way, son." "Mom?" he asked, audibly distraught, as his twin sister appeared behind Luke. 


	25. Both Sides Now - Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You shall work for Snoke again."  
How far will Kylo go to protect Rey from the reckless Snoke - let´s take us a first look at the answer ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is divided and for good reason.  
Song Inspiration: Both Sides Now - Joni Mitchell

"You wanna do what?" Shocked, his two best friends looked at him after he told them the news.   
"I will ask Snoke for forgiveness."   
"Why?"   
"Because it's the right thing to do."   
"You can't do this, Kylo, have you forgotten what he did to all of us-- what he did to Kira?"   
  
Armitage was furious, as was reflected in the volume of his voice. The man he was talking to lowered his head.   
  
"No, of course not. "But I've realised I can't go on like this. I don't want to work independently anymore, but concentrate on acting again." 

While the redheaded man was walking around in a state of anger, his fiancée stood quietly in the corner of the kitchen watching the dark-haired man.

"You can do that through me and the new contract I recently signed with Lando."   
"I can't do that, you know I'm under contract to Snoke."   
"I can't understand what on earth happened, that you suddenly want to go back - you of all people, who encouraged me all these years to fight the old man."   
"I have my reasons."   
"Is it because Rey doesn't want to see you anymore?" When Kylo didn't answer him, the redhead threw himself on his longtime friend.   
  
"Armitage, let him go!" Phasma shouted and pulled him away from Kylo.   
  
"No, let me knock some sense back into his clouded mind - maybe then he will come to his senses," Armitage said out of breath and with an angry look in his direction.   
"Let him go."   
"How can you stay so calm?"   
"Kylo is an adult, we can't tell him how to live."

Shaking his head, the director left the kitchen and headed for the living room without giving Kylo a last glance.   
He took a deep breath while he straightened his jacket and then looked at the woman with the blond hair.   
  
"Thank you."   
"You're welcome."   
"Gwen, I..." To his surprise, she shook her head, but instead reached out and squeezed his hands.   
"Whatever you're up to, I wish you the best of luck with it," she said before embracing him and whispering in his ear,   
"If you ever need my help, let me know."   
  
With an emotionless look, Kylo stood directly in front of the skyscraper where the offices of the First Order Company were located. He was wearing dark jeans and a matching jacket, under which was a red shirt. From experience, the last descendant of the famous Anakin Skywalker knew that Snoke was particularly keen on this color. He took a look at his smartphone, which only showed nine o'clock in the morning, before he let it disappear inside his jacket and entered the foyer of the building.   
  
"What can I do for you?" asked the man behind the throne in a polite tone.   
"I'm here to see Mr. Snoke."   
"Do you have an appointment, sir? He shook his head, which caused the man's features to distort in front of him.   
"You are not to enter the premises of the First Order Company With a smile, he nodded his assent.   
"I understand, but please call anyway and say that Kylo Ren requests a personal meeting."

Because of the friendly but firm tone of voice, the man gave in, reached for the phone and dialed a number. "Good afternoon, there is a gentleman in front of me who wishes to speak to Mr. Snoke personally... no he does not have an appointment, but he insists... his name is Kylo Ren."

With an astonished look on his face he looked at the dark-haired man while he continued: "Yes, I'll wait."   
With obvious satisfaction, Kylo watched his counterpart nod. "I understand, thank you very much."

After the conversation was over, he wrote a code on a small piece of paper and handed it to Kylo. "Enter this code into the elevator, which is located at the rear of the left side."   
"Thank you very much!" he answered with a mischievous smile and disappeared around the corner, where said elevator was waiting for him.  
  
As expected, he was greeted upstairs by a young woman with blond hair holding a tray in her hands.   
"Mr. Ren?"   
"Yes, Mr. Ren."   
"Please follow me."

With a hard expression, he followed the slender woman whose silhouette was covered by a knee-length dress of Valentino's. The two walked past the various meeting rooms, where several meetings took place. In front of that room, whose interior was hidden by the privacy screen, was the one in front of which the young woman stopped.   
  
"Please wait here," she said before opening the glass door and disappearing inside. Meanwhile, Kylo stepped to the window front that gave him a breathtaking view of the Hudson River. He knew this view from before because he had often stood in exactly the same place when he had to appear on Snoke's infamous reports.   
  
"Didn't I tell you that one day you'd come crawling back?" he heard the scratchy voice of Richard Snoke. With one last breath, he turned around and saw the tall figure, who as always wore one of his dark suits.

"Mr. Snoke." "So formal? Last time you called me a sly, horny old goat." The dark-haired man stood before him in silence, his emotionless gaze almost pierced by Snoke's piercing eyes. "Do we have to have this conversation here?" he simply asked, whereupon the man with the wrinkled face moved and said, "Come on." With the inner relief of having taken a first step, he followed him into his spacious office.   
  
"I suppose you can still remember everything," Snoke said as he sat down on the elegant black leather chair himself and watched the young man sit down on one of the chairs.   
"Why are you here?"   
"I want to get back in."   
"Why should I take you back?"   
"Because I am the best of my generation, you said so yourself."   
"That was almost ten years ago."   
"Let me prove to you that I can still do it."   
"Why should I give you that chance?"   
"Because I am the last descendant of the Skywalker bloodline, and you know as well as I do that name still holds some value." The old man nodded his head in agreement.   
"That is indeed true."   
"If it should ease your decision, I can sign a retraction statement retracting all the statements made earlier."   
"Should I decide to take you back, you can make no demands. You will do as I tell you - you will play the part I offer you."   
"You know very well that I'm only suited for leading roles."   
"I'm quite clear about that." Snoke replied in a thoughtful voice, while his gaze fell on a portfolio that lay on the desk in front of him.   
  
"As luck would have it, I am looking for a male lead in my new play."   
"I have read about it."   
"You have? I thought you were friends with Armitage Hux."   
"Not any more, we've been on different paths for many years."   
"ls that so? My daughter recently told me otherwise."

Kylo swallowed hard before he continued: "It's true, I went to see him at the theater because I wanted to make friends again, but he refused - so I have now sought direct contact with you, Mr. Snoke - because in the end, you are still in charge and decide who will be the cast in your plays and not the director."  
"That is correct, however. I see you learned your lesson then."   
"Everything I am, I learned from the best," he explained, whereupon Snoke nodded his head with a proud expression.   
"Well, you'll get your chance."   
"Well, when can I start?"

Kylo wanted to know and rose expecting to leave the office.   
"As luck would have it, there's a meeting going on right now, so we can test the chemistry between you and the female lead."   
"Bazine is here?" With eyebrows up, Snoke now looked at him before shaking his head in laughter.   
  
"No, my boy. Bazine has decided to retire from active acting." Visibly surprised, Kylo followed the owner out of the office.   
"Really, why?"   
"Because I recently discovered a diamond in the rough."   
"A diamond in the rough?" he asked, playing dumb, but inside, Kylo knew too well who Snoke was ultimately talking about.   
  
"Yes, a young woman who will catapult me back to the top of the industry."   
"That must be a very special woman for you to speak of her that way."   
"See for yourself," Snoke said with a smile before opening the glass door to the meeting room where the young woman with the tray had disappeared before. With one last, deep breath he entered the conference room behind Snoke.   
  
"Sorry for my absence, but as it turns out..." the older man began, attracting the attention of the person present. Kylo spotted Rey relatively quickly on the window side of the meeting room, flanked by Bazine, who seemed no less surprised than she spotted him.   
  
"Look at that." he heard her voice speak, whereupon Rey looked questioningly at the young woman.   
  
"Who is that?" the brunette asked her neighbor quietly.   
  
"...we may have just found our Hunter." Snoke ended up next to him, looking at the dark-haired man.   
  
"The prodigal son returns," Bazine said aloud, causing Rey to frown, rise up right behind Snoke's daughter and approach him.   
"Rey, may I introduce you to Kylo Ren," said the older man and stepped aside so that the two of them were facing each other.   
"Kylo, this is the unpolished diamond I told you about - Rey Erso." nodding, the latter reached out his hand to rey.   
"I am Kylo." she looked at his hand before she gave him hers .   
"I´m Rey." 


	26. You´re Somebody Else - Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The second part of the chapter.  
As a reminder, Kylo returned to Snoke and the First Order Company. He met Rey. Will she be the same?  
Now he gets the opportunity to prove to Snoke whether he is worth taking back.  
The answer to this can be guessed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who doesn´t want extrem Sex with a touch of violence and don´t liked the chapter with Snoke in the theater - don´t read it! wait for the next chapter (expected next wednesday until friday)
> 
> A few warnings in advance:  
\- Explicit Sex (changing positions)  
\- Rape (mentioned)
> 
> Song Inspiration: You´re Somebody Else - Flora Cash

_Previously:  
"The prodigal son returns," Bazine said aloud, causing Rey to frown, rise up right behind Snoke's daughter and approach him._  
_"Rey, may I introduce you to Kylo Ren," said the older man and stepped aside so that the two of them were facing each other._  
_"Kylo, this is the unpolished diamond I told you about - Rey Erso." nodding, the latter reached out his hand to rey._  
_"I am Kylo." she looked at his hand before she gave him hers ._  
_"I´m Rey." _  
  


"Rey plays the lead role of the nightingale in my latest play," Snoke began to explain after Kylo took a seat on one of the chairs directly opposite the brunette.   
  
"The Nightingale, I've read about it."   
  
"Mariah, please give Kylo a folder with the script and all the necessary information about the play." The woman with the tablet who was addressed slipped him a dark blue folder, which he nodded and opened.   
  
"Your part will be the part of Hunter." he put on record and made Rey look at Snoke with his eyes wide open, whereupon Kylo cleared his throat alarmingly before the owner of the First Order Company saw her shocked expression.   
  
"Yes Kylo?"  
  
"I read here that Hunter is the man the nightingale should fall for. He seduces it, so to speak, brainwashes it?" he said while reading the summary and was surprised to discover that there were some discrepancies with the contents, as he knew from Armitage.   
  
"Yes, I revised it personally."   
  
"In what way?"   
  
"I had the opportunity to witness Reys skills firsthand at rehearsal. She needs a chance to develop fully so she can take off in Hollywood."   
  
Kylo looked confused from Snoke to Rey, whereupon Bazine replied: "My father would like to film the play with her and thus help her to an international breakthrough."  
Ambitious as always, the dark-haired man thought and observed how Rey sat next to Bazine with unemotional expression - she looked to him like a controlled puppet.   
  
"But Rey can only be as good as her counterpart, so the choice of Hunter is especially important."   
  
"What should I do?" Kylo asked directly, whereupon Snoke nodded smiling.   
  
"I missed that, your direct manner. Rey did you practice for the new passages like I recommended?"   
Kylo's eyes wandered to her questioningly, whereupon she nodded silently.   
  
"Well then Kylo please come out and show me if you still can."   
  
"Do what?" Rey asked confusedly as she approached Snoke.   
  
"Seduce, Kylo used to be a real womanizer. I want to know if there is chemistry between you. If so, then Kylo will take the role of Hunter."   
Kylo elegantly got rid of his jacket, unbuttoned the cufflinks of his red shirt and pushed his sleeves up.   
  
"What exactly do you want, Mr. Snoke," he asked as Rey in turn got rid of the black blazer, which revealed a dark blue dress by Valentino underneath.   
  
"I want you to fuck her right here in front of us. Rey I assume you have no problem with that?"   
  
Kylo glanced questioningly at the subject whose blank stare was at Snoke.  
  
"No, absolutely not," she replied and then turned to Kylo.   
This woman had nothing in common with the Rey who he had met for the first time weeks ago. Her warm brown eyes had given way to an icy chill.   
  
"Okay, I want you to strip her first, then caress her before you take her from behind. "Show what brutality you can be, Kylo Ren."   
Nodding he tried to reach for rey's shoulder,but it turned away from him,turning its back on him instead. Fittingly, she lifted her brown hair, which no longer had its original length, but only reached just above her shoulders. Hiding his personal feelings, he opened the zipper of the dress and at the same time that of her bra without hesitation.   
  
He then touched her tender back and slowly moved along the line of her spine before sliding the garments over her shoulders so that they slid silently to the floor. He closed the gap between their bodies and roughly embraced her two breasts, which fitted almost perfectly into his palms. He heard her breath accelerate as soon as he began to play with her nipples.   
Intriguingly, he put his lips to her neck and drew a road of contemplation with his tongue, while his hands slid down her body until he reached her panties. The fingers of his right hand wandered under the thin fabric, seeking their way to the most sensitive place the female body had to offer. As soon as his forefinger found her clitoris and touched it, a groaning haunted the meeting room.   
  
"I want to see the gruffness of Kylo Ren for which you were once known," he heard Snoke's voice behind him, whereupon he pressed Ray's body almost brutally against the nearby wall, causing her to groan in shock and find her two palms next to her head. He tore the last piece of cloth from her skin and pinned her against the hard wall with the help of his own body. While his right fingers continued to play with her clitoris, he tied his left hand to his belt, skilfully unbuckled it and pulled down his pants with one pull.   
  
Not a moment later, he took his hard member and without hesitation sank roughly into her wet vagina. Her reaction was like a musical feast for the senses. She emitted a sound of pure ecstasy, pressing her pelvis straight towards him, thus beginning a veritable game of excitement.   
  
After a few blows, he heard Snoke's throat clearing behind him, whereupon he pulled himself out of her again, turning her around with the help of her arm. Her eyes were full of ectase, but at the same time he found a touch of detachment in them. Without hesitation, he lifted her pelvis, whereupon she wrapped her legs around his body without hesitation, thus sinking herself deep into him.   
  
"Yes, fuck me Hunter - show me your world" she moaned in an agitated voice, whereupon he made his strokes harder, pulling her hair back.   
"Is that hard enough?" he asked, whereupon she shook her head surprisingly.   
"All right, you don't want it any other way!" he said, turned with her and laid her down on the table of the meeting. Right in front of Snoke he pushed her a few times before he put her on her stomach again to sink his penis into her bottom, which caused Rey to cry out. As a reaction the man behind her pulled her hair back again.   
"You like that, don't you?"   
"Yes...this...does...it!"   
  
After a few thrusts Kylo changed the position of his limb again and then discharged into her vagina.   
Without any emotion, he grabbed the tissue box and cleaned his penis before pulling up his pants again and looking at Snoke. In the meantime Rey had put her dress back on with the help of Bazine and sat down next to it.   
"And?" 

"You got the part. Bazine, in the afternoon, they are to be photographed together for the ad campaign."   
She nodded to the secretary, who noted everything down on the tablet.   
  
"Rey, I'd like to talk to you alone for a moment."   
Confused, he watched the brunette rise without hesitation and follow the elderly man out without even giving Kylo a glance.   
  
"Is he fucking her?" he asked in the direction of Bazine, who in the meantime had discussed some things with the secretary.   
"My father, Rey?" Kylo nodded.   
"Yes of course, she wasn't even close to opening up to someone else at first. But you know my father, he has ways and means to break every human being."  
With a worried look he looked through the open door to Snoke's office where Rey had disappeared with the elderly man shortly before.   
"Kylo, I assume you remember where the showers for the actors are." Absently, he affirmed.   
"Well, when you finish, Mariah will give you a new robe and then you can come by my office."   
Before Kylo understood, the daughter and secretary had also disappeared and he was left alone in the conference room.   
"Oh Rey, what have you gotten yourself into?" he murmured softly as he pulled out his smartphone and wrote a short message before leaving the room last.   
  
**"I'm back in the game." **


	27. Saturn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kylo gets a first chance to talk to Rey and has to realize a bitter truth. Will he have the strength to go on anyway?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is called Saturn, inspired by the song of the same name from "Sleeping At Last", which I heard while writing this chapter. 
> 
> In astrology, Saturn stands for trials, irritation and also taking responsibility. 
> 
> A few warnings in advance:  
\- explicit sexual touching

While Kylo, dressed only in a towel, walked to the cloakroom where there were some robes, the door was opened and Rey entered. With a coat hook in his hand, where there was a white shirt on it, he paused and looked at the young woman. In her face he could clearly see exhaustion and sadness. As she continued to enter the room, her face was turned towards the floor. Because she hadn't noticed his presence yet, Kylo stopped and watched as Rey took off her clothes and disappeared into the adjacent bathroom. Shaking his head, he turned back to the coat racks in front of him and searched for a suitable dress.  
  
"What are you doing here?"

He suddenly heard Rey's voice after he had put on the dark jeans. "I asked Snoke for a second chance," he said without turning around.  
  
"Why?" "I've decided to go back into the acting business, see it as a career change."  
  
"Really?" He could clearly see their incredulity, so he decided to turn around even though they were naked, only to find with surprise that Rey was standing completely naked in the doorway.   
  
Unlike before, this woman didn't seem to mind standing in front of him undressed at all. Slowly he walked towards her and stopped just in front of her.  
  
"What has he done to you?" he murmured softly.  
  
"He has shown me the truth."  
  
"What truth?"  
  
"The truth I needed to see, the truth that helped me be what I was meant to be."  
  
"Which is?"  
  
"Something bigger."  
  
"Bazine says you let him fuck you."  
  
With a gloating smile, she moved and drove him into the next corner.  
  
"What's this?" he asked, willing to play her game first.  
  
"I'll show you what I learned from Snoke," she said before reaching for the waistband of his jeans, deftly unbuttoning the button and pulling it down in one go. "I see that our performance wasn't enough for you earlier," she remarked with a grin before kneeling and placing her lips around the tip of his penis. Kylo closed his eyes partly tortured, partly aroused, before she put his member completely in her mouth.  
  
"No..." he muttered, but she began to skillfully place her tongue around the erectile tissue. "No, this is not right."  
  
"Yes, I will show you what I am capable of. Now it will be me who shows what she can do," she said and began to scratch his balls.  
  
"No!" he cried out tortured and pulled himself out of her warm mouth. With a shocked look he moved a few meters away from her, whereupon she rose with an icy cold smile.  
  
"You are weak, Ben Solo!"  
  
"I don't recognise you, Rey Erso."  
  
"It ain't Erso no more, it's Palpatine. See you at the photo shoot!" she said with a smile before disappearing into the adjacent bathroom and locking the door.   
  
  
Quickly he hurried into the adjoining bathroom, locked the door behind him and allowed himself an ice-cold shower. Against his will, Rey's attention had aroused him more than he wanted. The very thing that he had feared so much came true. Snoke's influence began to change Rey, or had already done so. She had approached him like a whore and without warning began to pamper him orally. But this sad expression in her eyes when she thought she was alone spoke a completely different language. Shaking his head, he grabbed a towel and put his hand on the doorknob when he heard voices.   
  
"I have heard that she is the granddaughter of Sheev Palpatine."   
  
"Yes, Snoke is thrilled with her - he already sees her as a new source of money."   
  
"He's been looking for a rescue long enough to keep the First Order Company from going under."   
  
"Have you heard the latest?"  
  
"What news?"   
  
"Kylo Ren is back - Snoke now has the ideal two draft horses to finally take on those rebels in Los Angeles."   
  
  
Frowning, he listened to the men and women talking before they left the dressing room together again. Only when he had convinced himself that he was left alone did he leave the bathroom - dressed only in a bath towel - and put on the clothes that had been prepared for him before. With an expressionless expression on his face, he quickly left the cloakroom area and found his way to the area where the large photo studio was located.   
  
There was an old couch standing there, covered with fabric and the canvas imitated the skyline of nocturnal New York. While he watched the scenery of the upcoming shoot with pressed lips, he heard a familiar voice "Kylo" behind him. He turned to the young man he had known since they went to school together.  
  
"Mitaka." "I was very surprised to hear of your return."  
  
"Yes, there are many, I guess." Nodding, the smaller of the two cleared his throat and glanced at the tray in his right hand.   
  
"You will play the hunter while Poe Dameron plays the missing husband."  
  
"Will I have scenes in common with him?" Nodding, Mitaka showed him a sketch of the Hunter playing the missing husband's wife in front of his eyes. Sighing, he ran his hair through his head before realizing his mistake.  
  
"It's all right, just make sure it doesn't happen to you in front of Snoke or Bazine," muttered Mitaka and turned away from him. "Miss Erso!" he exclaimed, so Kylo quickly turned away, stroking his hand across his face and turning with an unemotional expression. As before, he spotted Rey in Bazine's company as she walked to the photographer Snap, and greeted him. Like most of her guild, there was a kiss left and right for the man.   
  
  
_"Hello sweetheart! Kiss left - kiss right, to hell with them!"_  
  
  
Remembering the derogatory words of his own father, a gentle smile crept onto his face, which did not go unnoticed.  
  
"What are you so amused about, Ren?" said Bazine as she walked beside him, following his gaze. "Ah, you're quite taken with that diamond, aren't you?" He cleared his throat and threw a disapproving look at the young woman standing beside him.  
  
"I know her far too little to even consider it."  
  
"You know her pussy, that should be enough for a first observation."  
  
"If I had to judge by that, my judgment of you would be severe." he replied to her motionlessly.  
  
"You're talking about our wild years together."  
  
"I've put all that behind me, you know your father's Gredo."  
  
"Kill it if you have to..."  
  
"...only then can you become what you were meant to be."  
  
  
With a look of appreciation, she nodded at him and then returned to Rey, who was standing with Mitaka. During his short conversation with Bazine, his gaze had been on the silhouette of the young actress all the time, she in turn had looked at him again and again.   
  
"Kylo, you here - how come?" the photographer asked him while he was working on his camera.  
  
"Haven't you heard, the prodigal son returns," he replied in a sarcastic voice.  
  
"I am surprised."  
  
"Is that so?"  
  
The man with the round face and full beard smiled understandably.  
  
"I simply couldn't make the jump."  
  
"I guess that goes for all of us then, it seems." Kylo replied with a knowing look to the photographer, who nodded in agreement.   
  
  
"So, since our two main actors are here, I can come up with big news right away" was the loud voice of Snoke, who walked with a triumphant look into the crowd. Frowning Kylo looked from Snap to Bazine, who went from the visibly irritated Rey to her father. "I just got off the phone with Los Angeles and got the green light to film the Nightingale."  
  
"What does that mean for us now?" he asked in a strong voice, attracting all eyes, including Rey's.  
  
"This, my dear Kylo, means that we will postpone the theater production and put our priorities on film first." The audience cheered happily while Rey was embraced by Bazine.   
  
"Ren." Snoke's voice made Kylo look up and he suddenly stood right in front of him. "I'm thinking of having the location of the story moved here to New York." He nodded and agreed, and the older man looked at him for a long time. "You have indeed quieted down, your temper is restrained."  
  
"I know when I can play it off and when it is better to keep your mouth shut."  
  
"Wise words, if only you had listened to me earlier, we would all have been spared much suffering."  
  
"What do you mean by that?" he wanted to know, while Rey in the meantime got on the couch and listened to Snap's instructions.  
  
"That Kira might be present today to witness her daughter's triumph."  
  
Stunned, Kylo's eyes flew up to Rey, who sat lazily on the couch. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"That Rey Erso is the child Kira kept talking about back then." With derailed facial features, he watched Rey's movements and how Bazine's erotic nightgowns were positioned to cover her breasts just enough.   
  
"Are you saying that this morning..."  
  
"Yes, my dear, you can proudly say that you fucked both mother and daughter."  
  
With clenched lips, he closed his guilt inside, took a breath and looked at Snoke with a cold expression on his face. "I must admit, the daughter is even better than the mother."  
  
  
Smiling, the older man nodded as Kylo was already called by Snap. "I told Bazine and Snap exactly what I wanted to see in the commercial."  
  
Understandingly, he joined Rey, who looked at him emotionlessly.  
  
"Here too?"  
  
"Always there." he said cynically.  
  
"Snap, where should I position myself?" With a questioning glance towards the bazine, she nodded to him.  
  
"First stand behind Rey and put his arms on her shoulders. Then you both look directly into the camera."   
  
Under Snoke's watchful gaze, the two of them completed the first poses without major problems.  
  
"Kylo sit down, Rey you position yourself right between his legs and open your legs. Kylo bends you forward, I want your face right next to Rey's. "Put your arms over her shoulders and cross them over her open lap." Without giving the young woman a single glance, he leaned forward and did as he was told. Feeling an inner satisfaction, he noticed her breathing accelerated.  
  
"Good, now look at both of you - I want to see sparks here," Snoke instructed her, whereupon Rey took a deep breath and turned to the man. "Look at each other and then start kissing." While Kylo's dark eyes were fixed on Rey's hazel brown, the latter swallowed visibly.  
  
"Should tongue be normal or should tongue be visible?" he asked, as he could read the question into her expression.  
  
"Both, I want your passion to drive people in droves to the movies."   
  
As soon as their lips met, the immediate surroundings faded for the actors. There was only the two of them and their unbridled passion for each other. Only after a few seconds did the audible click of the camera flash at least bring Rey back to reality, so that she broke away from him. Kylo for his part kept his eyes closed for a few moments before he opened them and looked at Snoke with a smug grin.  
  
"Are the pictures enough?" Rey cleared his throat, trying to keep some space between himself and Kylo.  
  
"Mister Snoke?" asked Snap and showed him the pictures, whereupon he nodded contentedly.  
  
"We are done for today, you can go home. Rey, I want to see you in my office later," the boss said and then towards Kylo when he added: "Alone."


	28. To Be So Lonely

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's take a look into Rey's world of emotions during her conversation with Snoke and more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don´t worry, this chapter is harmless. It contains no explicit scenes, even if Snoke is involved.  
Next time or in two chapters, we will get look back in Ben thoughts and emotions. 
> 
> Song Inspiration: To Be So Lonely - Harry Styles  
_____________________________________________  
I knew roughly where the core of this story was going to go and I'm now writing at the point where I know how many chapters will follow. From today's point of view the story will have about 35 - 40 chapters.

"What do you want?" Rey asked after entering the interior of Snoke's office, which she knew very well by now.

"I want to know how you're doing with this?"  
"With what?"  
"That Kylo Ren is back."  
"How do you want me to respond to this?"  
"The truth."  
"He is past," she replied with clenched lips.  
Frowning, the Elder Man watched as the young woman stood still while he put himself behind his desk.   
  
"Really? So you have no problem working with him again?"  
"No!" she replied, looking past the boss of the First Order Company.  
"So you won't mind if I think about putting Bazine on him again, for example?" Snoke was satisfied to find that the young woman exhaled with audible annoyance before she looked at him.   
  
"Why is he even here? I thought your goal was to destroy him."  
"Don't worry, I still have that goal in mind," he explained, pointing at his bald head.  
"You still owe me an answer," she demanded loudly.  
"He came to me himself, practically begged me to take him back."  
  
Shaking his head, Rey turned away from him and walked to the door.   
"you will honor our agreement and not question any of my decisions."  
"We're just pawns in your game, aren't we?" she muttered and looked at the man behind the desk with tears in her eyes.  
"I learned from someone that you can't trust anyone but yourself, and that power gives you endless opportunities to create a world of your own choosing."   
"Who said this?"

"Sheev Palpatine, your grandfather. He had no scruples, and you have it in you, this ruthlessness."   
"What am I going to do?"   
"You're gonna work on your parts with him just like you did with Dameron."   
"He'll ask me questions I don't have the answers to.   
"If that's the case, I'll handle it.  
  
Nodding, she turned away from him, stepped to the door and put her delicate fingers around the metal handle.  
"He's not going to bed with Bazine again, not after what happened to my mother," said Rey and looked back at him again.  
"We'll see," he replied with a sneaky smile before the brunette opened the door and with visible amazement found Kylo standing a few feet away.  
"What are you doing here?" she asked in an icy voice.   
"I have ordered him here, why don't you be a little nicer to your colleagues?" she heard the sweet voice of Snoke behind her.   
"Of course." she returned and lowered her head when Kylo came to her, paused and gave her a slight grin.  
"Rey."  
"Kylo."   
"Boy, please close the door behind you."   
He walked obediently past her and closed the door behind him without looking at her again, while she watched with her lips pressed together as Snoke put his hand on his shoulder while the black-haired man closed the door.  
  
"Rey, what do you say to our newcomer?" she heard the audible, amused voice of Bazine behind her. She forced herself to smile before turning to the woman with her hair tied back.   
"Kylo? I've only known him a few hours."   
"He's a hottie, isn't he?"   
Frowning, Rey watched as Bazine joined her as she walked herself to the elevator.  
"Yes, he's handsome - it's true."   
"I had a longer relationship with him."   
"Did you really?" She looked at Bazine with astonished eyes and proudly said.   
"He's a grenade in bed, he can show you things no woman ever dares to dream of."   
"If that's so, why did you break up?"   
She shook her head and sighed.   
"It's a long story and not meant for you." She paused and glanced at her gold luxury watch as the lift's sliding doors opened simultaneously.   
"All right, I have to get going. I'll get in touch with you as soon as there's any news about the shooting."  
Before Rey could respond, Bazine turned away. Determined, she ran to Snoke's office, knocked twice before entering and closed the door behind her.  
  
With her hands clenched in fists and an angry expression on her face, the brunette entered the interior of the elevator and pressed the button that would take her to the ground floor.  
She quickly fished for her smartphone, which she had kept - contrary to Snoke's instructions - and quickly wrote a line.   
  
**"I know it's been a long time, but I need a short-term appointment." **  
  
Nervously, her eyes wandered back and forth between her cell phone display and the cane display. The sound of an incoming message made her look at the display again.  
  
**"I'll slide you in. Can you be here in half an hour?" **  
**  
"Yes, that's no problem - thanks."**  
  
she typed quickly and then dropped the phone inside her handbag. Frustrated, she noticed that the lift stopped again just before the ground floor. This can't be true, she thought nervously as she faced the surprised look of Armitage Hux.   
"Rey." he also said in audible surprise as he stepped next to her and the doors closed again.   
"what are you doing here?"  
"I got a call from mitaka, snoke wants to talk to me." 

Nodding, the brunette looked straight ahead while the redhead pressed the appropriate button to take him to the floor with Snoke's office.  
"How are you?" he asked after a few seconds of silence.  
"I'm fine," she replied without looking at him.  
"Really?" said Hux, tilting his head. Annoyed, she exhaled and turned to face him.  
"Yes, why shouldn't I be fine. I'll be a successful actress, just what I always wanted."   
  
The director looked at her tense expression curiously before nodding away. "I hope you appreciate what Kylo is doing for you."   
  
Before Rey realized the meaning of his words, the elevator doors opened, causing her to look out inquiringly "the exit." he pointed her out with an appropriate gesture. Rey quickly left the inside of the elevator and literally took a quick step out of the lobby of the building. With a satisfied smile, he stepped back against the wall while the doors closed again.   
  
Using subways 6, 7 and C, Rey found himself on 72nd Street about a quarter of an hour later, looking out over the greenery of nearby Central Park. She took one last look at her gold watch before entering the building behind her. After nodding to the doorman and explaining the reason for her appearance, she took the elevator and went to the twelfth floor. There she walked up the corridor until she reached a door where a golden sign was attached.   
  
**_"Dr. Ashoka Tano, psychotherapist" _**


	29. My Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You wonder how Leia is doing with the latest developments, knowing that it was her who drove Ben back into the arms of Snoke? And what does Armitage have to do with it?  
Here's the answer to that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- My Eyes (The Lumineers) -

Leia Organa sat in her spacious office, as she had done every day for over twenty-five years, and followed the current events of the day via one of the countless flat screens mounted on the opposite wall. As a rule, each screen had a different theme, but not so today. For the first time in many years, they had remained black, because the older woman wanted to be able to follow her thoughts in peace. They were entirely devoted to the goodwill of her only son, who had suffered a veritable rollercoaster of emotions over the past ten years. Although she had no contact with him herself, she knew from various sources that he had been doing well. Until the day she was told that her son had started seeing a young woman again.   
  
_"We have to stop him," she said in a agitated voice as she glanced at the black and white photos spread out on the round table. In her right hand she held the temple of her glasses with a sigh. _  
  
_"What are you going to do about this without him knowing?" asked Luke, who was standing a few meters away from her. He was wearing his classic professor's outfit, as he often did, and was holding his old briefcase in his left hand. _  
  
_"I don't know, but I'm afraid it won't end well otherwise." _  
_"For whom?" _  
_"For both," she replied, turning away from the collage of pictures, each showing secret photographs of her son and Rey. _  
  
_"I've already arranged for Rey to stay at Rose Tico's apartment after I got her the aupair job in Australia," Luke said while his sister returned behind her desk and sat down on the black leather chair. _  
  
_"I know, but still we must prevent the past from possibly repeating itself." _  
_"Rey is cut from a completely different cloth than her mother ever was." _  
  
_Nodding she agreed and put the glasses back on the bridge of her nose. _  
_"Ben has regained his composure and turned his back on Snoke as well." _  
  
_"These are actually good conditions for both." Leia's eyes wandered to the picture frame, where a picture of young Ben could be seen. _  
  
_"It's the Armitage Hux connection that worries you, isn't it?" her twin brother conjectured, but to his surprise she shook her head._  
  
_"No, Armitage recently signed a contract with Lando in Los Angeles. He wants to get out just like Ben, only with everybody else involved." _  
  
_Frowning, Luke sat down on the chair in front of the desk. _  
_"How can this be possible when Hux has an existing contract with Snoke?" _  
  
_"Armitage's contract expires at the end of the year. The extension would normally be a mere formality." _  
_"Of course, everything will look equally different then." _  
_"From what I've heard from Lando, Hux wants to bring Snoke to his knees." _  
_"If so, why is he staging another play for that creep?" _  
  
_Leia just looked at him in silence before the full bearded man opened his mouth. _  
_"I understand, and he needs Rey for that." _  
_"That's right." _  
_"I hope you know what you're doing - if Snoke finds out..." _  
_"Let's hope you don't." _  
  
A loud knock at the door made Leia look up. "Come in?" she said in a firm voice, looking at the double doors, made of solid walnut. "Kaydel, what have you got for me?" she asked when she saw the young assistant's stature as she entered. "  
  
There's something that might interest you," she said, pointing to the magazine she was holding.  
"Give it to me." she demanded, her left hand reaching out for it. With an uncertain expression on her face, Kaydel stopped directly in front of her employer's workplace and watched as Leia's lips pressed together instantly as she turned the magazine over and discovered the cover.   
  
"This changes everything," she muttered after reading the headline and grabbed her smartphone on the surface of the desk, always ready to hand. "Kaydel, get Lando Carissian on the phone right away," she said with a serious undertone, whereupon the addressed woman ran nodding out of the office and gently closed the door behind her. Waiting for her to be alone again, Leia photographed the cover with the camera of her smartphone and opened the e-mail program on her laptop, which was daily placed on the right side of her desk.  
  
"_**Enclosed is the latest issue of The Weekly.**_" she simply wrote before she clicked send.   
  
Not surprised, she grabbed her smartphone when less than five minutes later her brother's name appeared on the display as an incoming call.   
  
"What are we going to do now?" he asked, without greeting her politely.  
"First we have to talk to Armitage to find out if he's involved in this film production."   
"That will hardly be possible after he has signed with Lando."   
"We know that, but Snoke doesn't."  
"At least that's what we think."   
"You think Snoke got wind of this and therefore prefers a movie production to the theatre version?" Leia surmised, looking at the window front of her office, which gave her a wonderful view of the adjacent Central Park.   
"It would be an explanation, but how do we contact Armitage now that Ben is back..."   
She agreed, nodding and sighing.   
"Yes, I know, but still, our hands are tied in the meantime."   
"Then there's nothing more we can do but wait."   
  
Frustrated, she ended the phone call, rose up and walked to the front window where she looked at the green lung of Manhattan in silence. At present, however, this oasis resembled more a clear-cut oasis, as the approaching winter had already left its mark on the numerous trees. That baldness of the approaching cold reflected her own emotional state. She had just begun to hope that she could get her son back. But now, it seemed as if that day would vanish again into the distant future.   
She loved Rey like her own daughter, Luke, and they had promised Jyn to take care of her in case something happened to Cassian and her. How could her old friend have guessed that she would have to keep this promise sooner rather than later. She didn't want to lose either of them, since Rey had become her own daughter after Ben's disappearance. The brunette embodied all those qualities and experiences she had missed out on with her own son.   
  
"Leia."   
Kaydel's voice ripped her from her thoughts as she stood in the open doorway of her office door with her smartphone in her hand.   
  
"Yes?"   
"Armitage Hux wants to talk to you."   
"Is he here?   
"He's waiting at the front desk.   
"Bring him to me."  
  
Nodding, Kaydel understood and returned a little later with the redhead. Leia rose from her chair, circled the desk and pointed to the seating area that was intended for visitors. While the visitor nodded and sat down in the elegant chair, the elderly woman said to her assistant, "As long as he is here, you will not put through any telephone calls."  
  
"Of course, would you like a drink, Mr. Hux?" Kaydel asked, but he denied, shaking his head.   
With one last nod towards Leia, the young woman closed the heavy, dark wooden door behind her and left the two of them alone.   
  
"Leia, I'm sorry I came unannounced."   
"I assume you have something important to tell me."   
"So I do." he agreed with her assumption.   
"What have you to tell me?"   
"I just came from Snoke, and I ran into Rey and Kylo."   
"how are they doing?" 

The redhead was nervously running his short, red hair   
"Kylo's doing good, as far as I can tell. But Rey..."   
He paused and looked at both palms of his hands, which were resting on his thighs in front of him.  
"Yes, Armitage?" Leia asked cautiously, with a bad feeling in her stomach.  
"She has changed. I didn't know her personally for very long, but this woman I met in the elevator has nothing in common with the girl from the audition."  
"In what way?"   
"She is cold and hardened, her warm hazel eyes are completely blank."   
"So Snoke did a good job," Leia recognized with a bitter tone.  
"It would appear so."   
"When will you start production?"  
  
Armitage looked up and pressed his lips together in frustration. "Not at all."  
"What do you mean, not at all?"   
"It means that Snoke prefers a film deal to my theatrical production, and so..."   
"...all plans are cancelled."   
"That's right, and that's why I have a big problem now."  
"Because you signed the pre-contract with Lando for the movie rights."  
The young man and longtime friend of her son sighed affirmatively.  
"I will contact Amilyn Holdo, who has represented me in legal matters for decades."  
"If Snoke finds out, he will do everything in his power to destroy me."   
"We will not let that happen!"   
  
Frustrated, the redhead exhaled as a smartphone message sounded. Leia's eyes wandered to the display of hers, which remained black. Then the other one grabbed his mobile phone and read the new message. When she recognized his tortured expression and twisted her eyes, she leaned forward.  
"Armitage?"   
  
"This has just been released by the First Order press office," he explained, handing her the smartphone. After she read the contents, she gave him back the phone and then reached for the receiver.   
"Kaydel, get me Lando Calrissian immediately. Tell him it is an emergency," she instructed her personal assistant in a serious voice.   
"This goes beyond all our worst fears," she said, looking at the serious face of Armitage Hux. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The resolution is already waiting for its release ;) When? Friday till Sunday


	30. Bloom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A shocking announcement from Snoke throws the lives of Rey, Kylo and everyone else into confusion.  
We also get to meet the Doctor Ahsoka Tano and what Rey has to do with her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, here is the resolution. What did Leia and Armitage react so shocked to?  
How will they react or deal with it? We will know the answers soon enough.
> 
> Song Inspiration: Bloom (The Paper Kites)  
______________________________  


**_"I am proud to announce that our long-time, highly esteemed colleague Kylo Ren has returned to the First Order Company to be in front of the camera not only for my new blockbuster, the filming of the Nightingale, but also for a new project that will revolve around the decades-long feud between two families - Sykwalker vs. _**  
**_I am very happy that Kylo Ren has agreed to play the role of Anakin Skywalker. _**  
**_The role of Padme Amidala will be played by our newest hope, Miss Rey Erso.   
_**  
**_More information will follow soon.   
_**  
**_Richard Snoke, CEO." _**  
  
  
Frowning, an elderly woman looked at the tray in her hands before her eyes wandered to the young brunette. She was standing by the windows, which gave a direct view of Central Park. The young woman had always been petite, but the tight jeans made her legs look almost bony. Her upper body and bust were covered by a blue sweatshirt, but she could still clearly see her collarbones and shoulder bones.   
  
"The last time we met, you had long hair." When her counterpart didn't react at all, she continued: "I'm surprised, since you always resisted a haircut. What happened?"  
  
"Snoke happened," she replied without taking her eyes off the window.   
  
"Is that why you're here?" she wanted to know, pointing to the article that was on the display of her tablet. Surprisingly, the young woman shook her head.  
  
"Not, what is it about then?"   
"Ben Solo."  
  
Again, wrinkles began to form on the forehead of the older woman.   
  
"Ben Solo"? What's he got to do with it?" she asked, whereupon the actress turned to her.  
"Everything!"   
  
Wordlessly, the older of the two pointed to the chair opposite her seat. Hesitantly, she followed her request, sat down and crossed her legs.   
  
"I am pressured by Snoke to dance to his tune, because otherwise he wants to destroy people close to me."   
"You mean Ben Solo?"   
"He is my priority, yes."   
  
The woman with the gray, shoulder-length curly hair looked at her for a few seconds before she sighed and said, "Oh Rey, you've fallen in love."   
  
The addressed woman looked directly at her before nervously sliding her right hand through her dark hair. "He means more to me than he should."  
  
"About Snoke?" She nodded affirmatively.   
  
"Why did you quit therapy with me that day, Rey?"   
"You know the answer to that."   
"I want you to tell me."  
  
"Ahsoka," Rey began begging me not to continue, but the woman remained firm.  
  
"I could no longer speak of her and honor your request."   
"you mean the box?"   
"Yes, and that I should open it if I wanted to know the truth."   
"Have you done it yet?"   
Rey shook her head before she laughed quietly.   
"what is it?"   
"Do you know it's ironic that you should open it now?"   
"Why?"   
"If I had followed your advice back then, it probably would have saved me a lot of suffering."   
  
Frowning, the elder shook her head.   
"Kira Kenobi is my birth mother."   
  
Ahsoka's eyes widened in wonder, and Rey nodded in agreement.  
  
"Yes, true, but that's not all. I haven't told you the best part yet."   
"what's that?"   
"My grandfather is none other than Sheev Palpatine."   
  
Sighing, Ahsoka closed her eyes, pressing her lips together.   
  
"Yes, I might have reacted like that if the circumstances had been different."   
"What do you mean?"  
"I'm sure you know that Kira Kenobi killed herself."   
  
"I know she threw herself into the Hudson River - there were speculations about the reasons for that at that time." the Elder replied and put the tablet aside.   
"Yes, the reasons have been stated, or rather, the main reason has been stated - Kylo Ren."  
  
Confused, Ahsoka grabbed the tablet again and took a look at the display.  
"This is the actor you'll be working with, according to this press release."   
"That's right."  
"Oh, this must be hard for you."   
"No, it's not."   
  
Frowning, the doctor shook her head. "I don't understand."  
"What few people know is that Kylo Ren is really Ben Solo - the only grandson of Anakin Skywalker."  
  
The older woman took a sharp breath and began frantically typing letters on the tray, which Rey noticed only after a few minutes.  
"Ahsoka?"   
  
When the person she was speaking to did not respond, the brunette repeated her name, but again in vain.  
"Ahsoka, what is it?"  
  
"Nothing, I have to." she started muttering and glanced at her gold watch.   
"I have my next patient in 10 minutes."  
  
Nodding, Rey rose and reached for her beige trench coat as she put it on.   
  
"Rey." she heard Ahsoka speak hesitantly as she stepped to the door.  
  
Questioningly, she turned to her as the older woman came to her with the tablet in her hand.  
  
"I have the last slot available on Wednesday. If you like, I could give it to you."  
  
With a slight nod, Rey agreed before she left the room where Ahsoka usually holds her therapy sessions with her patients.  
  
The older woman stepped to the window, pushed the white curtain aside, and watched Rey cross the street, reaching for her smartphone. Only when she was convinced that the brunette was at least two blocks away did she reach for her cell phone herself and dial a number.   
  
"Doctor Ahsoka Tano here, I'd like to speak to Leia Organa, please."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A note:  
As I said the other day, I am just about to finish this story. As soon as I'm finished, I'll post the remaining chapters at the beginning and end of the week.


	31. Somebody else

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "He won't get involved in Bazine after what you did to my mother." Rey said to Snoke.   
Will her opinion also be consistent with reality or will Kylo fall for it again?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings:  
\- Mention of Sexual Activities 
> 
> Song Inspiration: Somebody else (The 1975)

  
**"What's this press release from Snoke?"   
**  
**"Why are you doing this?"**  
**  
"Has he gone completely crazy?"**  
  
Every minute a new message appeared on a smartphone display. It was left on the coffee table in the living room. Its owner stood at the window and watched the construction workers laying new water pipes. His gaze was blank as slim fingers searched their way across his naked torso. Only when they began to stimulate his nipples did he close his eyes in agony.   
  
"Please don't do that." he muttered and pulled his hands out of the trouser pockets where they had been buried seconds before.   
"Why?" asked a lascivious voice, her fingers now moving south.   
"No, don't do that!"   
"You agreed to the contract and with it all its terms," she replied before her right hand disappeared under his black boxer shorts.   
"Don't, please," he begged, moaning as her fingers skilfully began to stimulate his limb.   
"You haven't changed, you're still standing on it," she recognized with a grin, stepped out from behind his body and kneeled before him.   
"Bazine." he uttered in a warning tone, but the addressed woman reached for his boxers and pulled them down in one go.   
"Now I'll show you how to get orgasm properly and not this chick," explained the woman with the long black hair, opening her mouth, ready to spoil him with her tongue.   
  
But at the mention of the word chick, Kylo suddenly opened his eyes and jerked the young woman away. With a startled expression on his face, he pulled his boxer shorts over his hips again and looked at her accordingly. With a dirty grin Bazine rose and looked at him triumphantly.   
  
Before he could say anything, the bell on the intercom rang out. With a last glance at Bazine, he ran out of the living room and picked up the receiver.   
"Hello?"   
"It's me."   
  
With eyes wide open, he glanced at the phone receiver in his hand.   
  
"Hello, Kylo?" he heard her voice again.   
"Yes, I'm still here. It's not a good time right now," he said, looking at the black-haired woman, who put on her trench coat with a grinning expression on her face.  
"Oh thank you very much." he heard her voice and the sound of the doors opening downstairs.   
  
"Damn it!" he muttered and threw the receiver back into the cradle.   
"Is there a problem?" he heard Bazine innocently ask.   
"Yes, you're my problem!" he replied angrily.   
"Oh you mean because Rey is on his way up?"   
  
Shocked, his face rang out to her left, whereupon the black-haired woman returned to the living room laughing.   
"You planned all this, didn't you?" he exclaimed and followed her into the spacious room.   
"It wasn't me, it was him."   
  
Before he could answer, a loud knocking sounded. Sighing, he lowered his head.   
"You still play his tune? I thought you had moved on."   
"We are all pawns in his game, Kylo," she replied as he went to the door to welcome his guest.   
  
Quickly she opened the trench coat again, where an erotic garment appeared underneath.   
  
While Rey knocked on his front door again, he reached for a white shirt hanging from the coat hook. Quickly he put it on and slowly opened the door.   
"Kylo, we really need to talk," the brunette said immediately and took a step forward, willing to enter his apartment.   
"It's not a good time," he replied and stood in her way.   
  
Frowling, her eyes wandered down to his body before she furiously pushed to his side with her eyes squeezed together, thus allowing herself to enter. Sighing, the dark-haired man closed the entrance door behind him and took a deep breath.   
  
From the corners of his eyes he could see Rey entering the living room determinedly and immediately pausing in her movement.   
  
"What are you doing here?" she asked the person on whom her furious look lay loudly.   
"Do you really want to know?" Bazine's voice replied amusingly.   
"Yes, I do!" demanded the brunette and ignored Kylo, who stopped at his door frame and looked from her to Bazine, who was just standing in her elegant black negligee with her hands on her hips.   
  
"Kylo and I have decided that it might be time to relive our past.."   
  
"Have you?" With pressed lips she looked from the lewd woman to the man next to her, shaking his head vigorously.   
"So he was right after all," Rey muttered in a low, broken voice.   
  
"I didn't sleep with her, Bazine tell her," Kylo explained loudly but Rey turned away from the two of them with a struck expression on his face. As she walked beside him, he grabbed her upper arm and received a warning expression from Rey.   
  
"Snoke was right, the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak."   
  
Immediately he let go of her as if he had burned himself, so that he watched wordlessly as the brunette cursed and left his apartment, loudly dropping the door in the lock.  
  
"What's this all about?" he asked furiously when he saw Bazine in the doorway. The young woman fastened the trench coat with the help of the oversized belt and pinned her long black hair up with the help of some hair clips.   
  
"As I said before, we are all pawns in the game and the king has just lost his queen to the enemy," she replied as she stood directly in front of him, stood on her toes and gave him a last kiss.   
  
"He is expecting you tomorrow to sign the contract for the new film. I'll show myself out," she added, leaving him speechless in the corridor.   
  
He recalled the scene briefly before he frowned and opened the door, shouting at Bazine: "What contract?"   
The young woman paused in her movement, she had already left the first steps behind her and looked up at him as he stood in the doorway of his apartment.   
"It's in all the papers, Kylo," she replied, then continued on her way down.   
  
Angrily, he returned to his apartment and reached for his smartphone, which had been on the coffee table the whole time. Surprised, he realized that he had received five incoming messages.   
  
**"What's this press release from Snoke?"   
**  
**"Why are you doing this?"**  
**  
"Has he gone completely crazy?"**  
**  
"Kylo, please call me back - Armitage is beside herself. Gwen."**  
  
Confused, he clicked on the last message that came from his mother.   
  
**"Ben, please call me. I know we agreed we'd keep radio silence during your arrangement with him. "Nevertheless, it has now become imperative that we speak." **  
  
Well, something was definitely wrong here and if he then interpreted Rey's strange behavior and Bazine's last statement correctly, then something was up.   
Determined to find out, he opened the homepage of the First Order Company and was immediately confronted with the press release.   
  
"What the hell!" he exclaimed in disgust and threw the smartphone away as if he had burned himself again. Looking for an answer, he looked around, took a few deep breaths before reaching for the phone again and reading the announcement again.   
Sighing, he clicked on the green phone when he reached his mother's phone number.   
  
"Ben, thank God."   
"Hi, Mom."   
"Is it true what the press release says?"   
"I haven't signed anything yet."  
  
He could hear her relief on the other end of the line before he added:   
"However, due to a clause in my contract, he does not need my re-signature."   
  
"Why?"   
"Because otherwise he would not have agreed to my return."  
"Damn it, Ben," she replied in an accusatory tone.  
"What the hell Ben?"  
"It was your idea for me to go back to him so I could save Rey from his clutches," he said in an angry voice.  
"That's right, but for him to go this far, no one could have anticipated it."   
"As his heirs, can we do something about this?"   
"I've already spoken to Lando about this. He'll get back to me as soon as he knows anything.   
"Mum, if I could..." he began reluctantly.  
"I know, Ben. I know, Ben."   
"By the way, I have a favor to ask of you."   
"What?  
"I'd like you to see an old friend of mine - she may be able to help us with an important matter."   
"What is it?"   
"The history of our family." 

He exhaled frustration that Leia, on the other hand, was not unaware of this.   
  
"Well, what am I to do?"   
"I'll send you an address right away. You're to report there tomorrow at seven o'clock at night. "  
"All right."   
Just a few seconds after the call ended, he received a message with the address and a name.   
"Dr. Ahsoka Tano, psychotherapist." he read with a murmur before dialing his mother's phone number again.  
"Ben?"  
"What the hell, Mom? Why are you sending me the address of a shrink? I don't need therapy!"  
"Calm down Ben, it's not about you."   
"Then what is it about?"  
"Ahsoka was an old friend of your grandfather's. She knows the truth about what happened between Palpatine and him back then." 


	32. Malleable Beings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> During her research Rey gets to know a new person and finds out some truths about the past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dear readers,  
slowly the course is set for the final. In this chapter the first step for this will be set.  
...and yes, I finished this story and wrote the epilogue today. 
> 
> Warnings:  
\- Mention of Rape and Suicide
> 
> Song Inspiration: Malleable Beings (The Paper Kites)

Rey stood in 53rd Street and looked at the elongated building in front of him. Surrounded by countless tourists, she made her way inside, looking for a specific department.  
"Are you looking for something in particular?" a young man wanted to know, who should help the arriving visitors.  
  
"Yes, I called about researching the archives."  
Nodding, he reached for a mobile phone and dialled a number. "Your name?  
"Rey Erso."  
  
He waited for it to be answered at the end of the other line. "Miss Holdo? I have Rey Erso here who came for an appointment at the archives." After a few seconds, he nodded.  
"Please come with me. Miss Holdo is expecting you."  
  
She followed the young employee to the back area where there was an elevator. With a last glance in the direction of the exhibition rooms, she followed him into the interior of the vehicle. "This elevator is reserved only for the employees of our museum and also leads to the management floor," he told her while they went to the fourth floor. As soon as the sliding doors of the elevator opened, she saw the waiting silhouette of a woman with lavender-colored, curly hair.  
  
"Thank you, Frank. You can go back down now," the middle-aged woman told the young man, who obediently nodded at Rey and disappeared inside the elevator.   
The brunette looked irritated by the closed doors to the elderly woman, who was wearing a neat costume that matched her hair colour.  
  
"Miss Erso, I am delighted to welcome you personally to the archives of our museum," said the woman, politely shaking her hand. Rey recognized the perfect, filed nails that were painted in a strong red tone.  
  
"Miss Holdo, the pleasure is all mine. Thank you for responding so quickly to my inquiry."  
"Members of our artistic community are always especially welcome," she replied, earning a confused look from Rey.  
  
"Before I took over as director of this section of the museum, I was in the acting profession myself."  
"Amilyn Holdo, but of course." muttered the young woman appreciatively, in an awed voice.   
"Please don't be awestruck, we're all in the same boat after all. Aren't we?" Rey was only able to give one affirmative nod. "Well, come to my office sometime."  
  
The visitor quickly realized that the former actress and board member of the museum had a spacious office.  
"Do you receive all actors who have a request regarding their archives?" Rey asked after she had taken off her winter coat.  
  
"No, but your inquiry..." Amilyn paused, whereupon the young woman looked at her questioningly. "...requires special care."  
"You mean because it involves Anakin Skywalker and Sheev Palpatine?" With her lips pressed together, the elder nodded and agreed, "Yes."   
  
"Well, what do you have for me?"   
"Before we move on to the records, I need to ask you a personal question."  
"Go ahead."  
"Are you related to Kira Kenobi?"  
  
Rey's eyes widened instantly and Amilyn smiled sympathetically. "She is my mother, but I have never met her personally."  
"Then perhaps I can give you great pleasure."  
"In what way?"  
"In my research regarding your inquiry, I found some photographs of her. When I saw your picture with Kylo Ren in the current issue of 'Weekly', everything became clear to me."  
Nodding, her eyes wandered to the little box with a series of numbers written on it.   
  
"Here I have summarized all the pictures for you. May I call you by your first name?"  
"Of course." Rey murmured, pulled the box towards her and put the lid down.  
  
"Kira Kenobi was born the only child of Ben and Satine Kenobi. Due to the close friendship of the parents to the couple Anakin Skywalker and Padme Naberrie, they were originally intended as godparents for their only daughter."  
"Intended?" Rey asked while looking at individual pictures of her birth mother. One of them showed a couple with a little baby.  
  
"This are Ben and Satine Kenobi."  
"Those are my grandparents," Rey recognized with a murmur and looked at the individual faces of the two.  
"As you can see, acting is clearly in your blood."  
"It seems so."  
  
"Did you know that your family and Kylo Ren's are closely linked?"  
Frowning, Rey looked up at the image she was still holding between her fingers. "in what way?"  
  
"Ben Kenobi was Anakin Skywalker's teacher and became his best friend."  
"I don't understand."  
"I was with Leia Organa in the same organization that rose up against the dictatorship, so I know the identity behind Kylo Ren."  
  
Startled, Rey dropped the picture and backed away from the woman. "Did Leia put her onto me?"  
"No, she did not. Why are you asking me this?"  
"Because she might be protecting her son from me? After all, I carry the blood of the sworn enemy."  
  
Amilyn pressed her lips together nodding, before with a compassionate gesture she picked the image up off the floor and gave it back to Rey. "I know who your grandfather was."  
"How do you know?" Tensely she watched as Amilyn walked around her desk and took a nude from a locked drawer and then returned to her at the conversation table.  
  
"In my research, I discovered that Satine and Ben Kenobi could not have children of their own. After the incident with Padme, and since they couldn't take care of Luke and Leia themselves, they probably wanted to give another child a home someday."  
"My mother?" Rey asked while taking the folder.   
  
"Kira was the result of a rape and the mother didn't want to have anything to do with the result," said the woman with the lavender hair as Rey flipped through the pages. "When Palpatine learned of this, he confronted the mother. But it was too late because she had already given the baby up for adoption." she went on and paced around her office. "He could do nothing against the law, but he drove the woman who had given birth to Kira to suicide."  
  
In shock, Rey slapped her face while reading the police report. "When Palpatine finally found out what had become of the child one day, he did everything in his power to get into her life. Knowing that he might not be able to do it himself, he hired someone else to do his work."  
  
"Snoke." Rey finally realized.   
  
Amilyn nodded affirmatively. "After Palpatine was killed by Anakin Skywalker, he received a letter from Palpatine with all the necessary information."  
"Oh my God!" she muttered as the chain of events of the past years slowly became clearer. She closed the folder and with tears in her eyes looked at the elder woman.  
"It's like a chain that has set itself in motion," she recognized and looked desperately again at the pictures in front of her, which showed her biological mother at different stages of her life.  
  
"Here, I have kept this especially for you - unlike the others here, it is the original," said Amilyn and placed a white envelope on the table. Hesitantly, she touched the surface before carefully opening the envelope and pulling out a picture. When she recognized the young woman holding a small bundle in her arms, she burst into tears and once again put her hand over her mouth. "Whatever you believed, Rey, your birth mother loved you very much."  
  
The young woman with the brunette hair seemed to be looking into a mirror, because the mother with the newborns in her arms resembled her in many ways. "You look a lot like her." Smiling, she nodded. "Kylo told me that, too."   
  
"He couldn't help her death, Rey. even if the general public wanted to believe it."  
"He drove her to her death because he had slept with Bazine."  
"How do you know that?" asked Amilyn, watching the brunette give her a straight look.  
"I understand, of course this complicates things for you all the more. You know his family history?"  
"He told me about it, yes." she affirmed before Amilyn gave her a new box of pictures.   
  
"Anakin would never have worked for Palpatine if he had even the slightest idea of the true background of its diabolical nature. When he found out later through Luke, he literally made short work with the old man," she told her, while Rey looked at photos from different stations of Anakin's life.  
  
"Palpatine had the talent to create true monsters from the most innocent of humans, and Anakin was his greatest success."  
"Vader," the young woman realized when she held a photograph of him in her fingers.  
  
"Correct. Vader was everything Anakin could never be. He was corrupt and had been the lapdog of Palpatine. Rey put her finger in astonishment at the next picture a young version of Luke Skywalker showed. "It was only his son who showed him the truth. Only when Luke faced the same fate as him did Anakin wake up and find his old self again."  
  
"Why did he lose his own life?"  
"Because he did not want to live with the guilt anymore, he had destroyed too many lives himself," Amilyn explained in a thoughtful voice while Rey looked at pictures of the funeral where she was confronted with the version of a young Leia Organa and Han Solo. She also recognized a little boy between the two.  
  
"Who is that?" she wanted to know and pointed with her index finger at the child.  
"That is Ben Solo."  
"Oh, my God." she murmured, visibly distraught, and imprinted the little boy's outline in precise detail.   
  
"He must have been only about three years old at the time," Rey thought.  
"Anakin must have known about Ben Solo because he set up an escrow account for his grandson just before he killed Palpatine." Speechless, she was confronted with all this news.  
"This is incredible."  
  
"But that's not all."

Skeptically, Rey looked up at Amilyn who walked up to the table with an envelope in her hands.   
  
"What I'm about to tell you will come as a shock to you at first. What you will do with it is entirely up to you Rey." Frowning, the woman shook her head.  
"I don't understand."  
"Take a good look at it and then decide what to do with it."  
"You frighten me a little, Miss Holdo."  
"Please call me Amilyn. Fear is not the word. I think more like reverence. But see for yourself."  
  
Nodding, she pulled a total of three folders from the inside of the big envelope and started looking at them one by one.   
After she finished studying the files, she looked at the older woman speechlessly, who looked at her with compassion. "And?"  
  
Wordlessly, she returned the binders to the envelope before returning them to Amilyn. "I know exactly what I have to do." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ben was born while Anakin was still alive. That's why he attended his grandfather's funeral.


	33. Future/Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Rey, Ben also gets a surprising look into the past, which also contains a message from **someone special** to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, I'm sorry for the late update. But the weekend was very stressful.   
As compensation the next chapter will be on Wednesday and the following one probably on Friday ;) 
> 
> Song Inspiration: Future/Past (John Mark McMillan)

"Why are you here?"   
"Because my mother asked me to come here."   
  
Both persons were sitting opposite each other, with the male part of them crossing their legs. The elderly woman had a writing pad in her hand and a tablet lying beside her on a small desk.   
  
"What do you think you're going to find here?"  
"The truth."   
"In reference to?"   
  
He looked at his palms, which he looked at thoughtfully, before sighing and answering, "All of it."  
Nodding, she reached for her tablet and picked out something specific before handing it to him.   
  
"Can you remember that?"   
  
Frowny, he picked up the portable information device and took a look. His dark eyes wandered over the individual persons he could recognize and after a few minutes he understood what the picture was about.   
  
"That's my mother and father, at a funeral."   
"That's right."   
"The little boy between them... I don't remember going to a funeral as a child."   
"You were barely three years old when your grandfather died."  
  
With eyes widened in shock, he understood the meaning of their testimony.  
  
"This is a picture of..."  
"Yes, the funeral of Anakin Skywalker."   
"I had no idea that he...   
  
The elder woman nodded understandingly, rose and walked to a nearby box that was visibly from another decade.   
"He knew this day would come eventually." she began, while taking an envelope from the inside.   
"Of whom do you speak?"   
"Your grandfather," she replied, handing him the envelope. Hesitantly, he looked from the white envelope in his hand, which must have been visibly written many years ago, at the woman who nodded encouragingly to him. With a last glance he opened the envelope and a handwritten message appeared.   
  
_"My dear Ben,_  
_if you're reading these lines, I won't be alive. In all likelihood, you will have grown into a man of state. You probably gave your parents a lot of headaches as a child. If it is any consolation, my own mother did not fare much better with me. If you have inherited my temperament, which I must assume I inherited at the age of three due to your current behavior, you will not have an easy time of it._  
  
_People will avoid you, you will scare them. But do not be afraid, do not hide from the world that has so much to offer us. Disappointments will pave your world, as will the experience of friendships. But be vigilant in choosing your friends, for the name you bear will inevitably be fraught with drama and a bloody past in the future. _  
  
_If you want to be wise, you will choose another name to distinguish yourself from everyone else, which is what makes you special in your innermost being - your origin. But be told, from your own experience - it will inevitably lead you back to your roots. Your own family, your origin, you will never be able to deny them, because in the end it is what makes us who we are. _  
_I myself have taken a long time to understand this, I have felt two lives to reach this realization. _  
  
_With all my heart I wish you that gift that I cannot give you myself - but life itself. For it will be life that will send you this ONE, certain person. This person will be the one who will support you from the beginning, who will become your constant companion. He will not only accompany you in your thoughts, but also be able to direct your feelings into positive directions. _  
_All your outbursts she will grab on her shoulders and carry with her. She will do everything for you and you will want to be everything for her. _  
  
_How do I know that? _  
_Because that was your grandmother Padme for me, and has always been, even after she died. Even in my darkest times as Vader, she was at my side - even now, in my presumed last hours. _  
  
_It is Padme, too, which is why I will now take action against the person who destroyed our entire lives. I have to make sure that he won't be able to trap my two children or you in the future in the same way he trapped me. _  
  
_Should I succeed, Luke, Leia, Han and you will be able to predict a wonderful future for Ben without any worries. _  
_But if Palpatine has a plan B in the back of his devilish head, I must ask you to defeat this creature once and for all. _  
_For this purpose, I have opened another account that only you will have access to. For the access data and all other relevant information please contact Lando Calrissian, your mother's lawyer. _  
  
_Is it fair to place that burden on my grandson in front of him? No, but I'm afraid that Palpatine might do the same and use his own family, of whom I have knowledge, for his purposes. _  
_Don't become a murderer because of me, but protect your family - at all costs! Do not let my history repeat itself. _  
  
_Your grandfather_  
_Anakin."_  
  
"Where did you get this letter?" he wanted to know from his opposite number as soon as he finished reading it.   
"He delivered it to me personally a few hours before he flew back to Los Angeles to settle up with Palpatine directly."   
"The gas explosion," he mumbled, receiving an affirmative nod from them.   
"Who are you to know all this? What was your relationship to my grandfather?"   
"Anakin was my teacher at the university. Before I studied psychology, I studied acting and dramatics. Anakin was my professor, and we became very good friends. You might say that next to Ben Kenobi, I was his closest confidante."  
  
His eyes wandered over the handwritten pages as he replied, "If that's the way they say, why couldn't they have prevented his fall?"   
  
"I have tried, God, how hard I have tried. I flew to Los Angeles as soon as I heard about the incident surrounding Padme's death. I was studying psychology here in New York at the time. But no matter what I did, what I said, he was already too influenced by Palpatine's statements and actions. Neither Ben Kenobi nor I could get through to him."   
She paused and young Ben could see the psychotherapist wiping some tears from his face.   
  
"I'm sorry, I haven't talked about Anakin in decades."   
"With anyone, not even my mother or Luke?"   
"No, after helping to hide the children from their father I vowed to stay away from them I stuck to that until yesterday."   
  
He looked up at her and saw her reach for her tablet.  
  
"A few years ago a young woman came to me who suffered from childhood trauma."   
  
Frowning, Ben sighed, not really in the mood to listen to another story of drama from an unknown person. Ignoring his annoyed expression, she continued.  
"She had lost both her parents in a car accident. Afterwards she came to an acquaintance who took care of her and provided for her education. To suffer a loss is one thing, but to know that the lost parents were not her biological parents is quite another. During her last year at school, her friend noticed that she suffered from the knowledge that she had been given away as a little baby. He contacted me and we began talk therapy. After she came of age, she gratefully left her acquaintance and tried to build a life for herself. She continued her therapy with me at first, until one day she just stopped coming."   
  
During her narration his head shot up and gave her an incredible look. No, that couldn't be, that would be too much of a pure coincidence, he thought.   
  
"I don't think we need to mention a name here. You know who I'm talking about from the look on your face."   
"Why was she here, after all these years?"   
"I can't give you all the details, but I had no idea you were connected. I had no idea that Kylo Ren was really you. I had been in France for many years. As soon as Rey told me, I broke my promise and contacted Leia."   
"That's why she insisted I come to you. Dr. Tano. I came back to Snoke for one reason, to protect Rey."   
"I know, but Rey doesn't know that, and he seems to be putting a lot of pressure on her."   
  
Tormented, he rolled his eyes while he changed his sitting position.   
  
"Snoke loves to treat his actors like puppets. He has the power to change people and he's already started to do so with Rey."   
"I noticed she has become very thin and also her appearance."   
"it's not just that, dr. Tano. Her personality, she has already started to change, in a bad way. When i met her, she was innocent in the truest sense of the word."   
"She exudes a darkness, I perceived it gradually. She should fight it, but the question is whether she can do it alone."   
"I can only help her in my own way."   
"That's very commendable of you, Ben. I've offered to take her back into therapy."   
"Do you think she'll accept your offer?"   
  
To his displeasure, the elderly woman shrugged her shoulders, unaware of an answer.   
  
"What can I do?"   
"Support her in what she is doing."   
"Even if it's against my principles?"   
"Yes," she replied with clenched lips.   
"What are we gonna do about Snoke?"   
"That is for you to decide what to do with the information Anakin left for you."   
  
Nodding, he reached for his smartphone and noticed the display remained black.   
  
"Here, use mine." suggested the psychotherapist and offered him her own cell phone.   
"Thank you, Dr. Tano."   
"Please call me Ahsoka."  
  
He dialed a certain number and waited a moment.   
  
"Hi mom, it's me - Ben. Call Luke and tell him I want to meet him at your house after his last lecture."   
  
With another glance at the woman across the hall, he added, "I'm also bringing someone with me." 


	34. Everything All At Once

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is an interesting meeting in the house of Leia and there all things come on the table.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a lot to process in these chapters - I didn't choose this title for this part of the story for nothing. 
> 
> Song Inspiration: Everything All At Once (SYML)

"What is this article about? We didn't agree to your return, that you are trampling on our family history," the older of the two Skywalker twins rumbled away as soon as he entered his sister's spacious apartment and saw his nephew.   
  
"Luke!" exclaimed Leia in a loud voice and stood protecting in front of her son.   
"What is it, after all these years you suddenly need your mother for protection now," the full bearded man said, but stopped when he noticed the angry and at the same time warning expression on his sister's face.  
  
"This film adaptation was certainly not my idea," Ben said simply, and disappeared with a last glance in the direction of his mother in the neighbouring dining room.   
  
"What is all this about? Why did he call us all here? Why did he give Snoke this project in the first place, even sign for it?"   
Leia carefully placed her right hand on her dissolved brother's chest, who looked at her questioningly.   
"There is no separate contract for the actors in this film, Luke."   
Frowling, he shook his head slightly. "I don't understand. "  
"Snoke only took him back on the condition that he be available for projects without reservation. He's not doing this to hurt us, Luke."   
  
His blue eyes wandered from the elderly woman to his nephew who was sitting in the adjacent dining room talking to another woman he didn't know.   
  
"Who is that?" he asked in a much calmer tone of voice, pointing with a movement of his head towards the person in question.   
"That's Doctor Ahsoka Tano," Leia explained and received a surprised expression from Luke.   
"This is Ahsoka?"   
"You know her?" noted the woman with the graying hair, tied into an elegant hat.   
"By name only, but Anakin told me Ahsoka Tano was the only person besides Ben Kenobi he trusted completely."   
Leia nodded understandably, but paused in her movement as she examined her brother's face.   
"There's something else, isn't there?"   
  
Luke looked at her with clenched lips and a serious expression.   
"When Rey got worse after she learned she was adopted by Cassian and Jyn, I sent her to Ahsoka."   
"Oh man." Leia muttered, before Luke moved past her and into the dining room.   
"Ahsoka, meet Luke Skywalker." he heard Ben say, without any grudge in his voice. The woman with the gray-white, shoulder-length hair stood up and approached him.   
"Now I know how Anakin would have looked like if a happy life in old age would have been spoiled for him," she said and reached his hand as a greeting.   
"Dr. Tano." Luke answered curtly while their hands touched.   
"Please call me Ahsoka."   
  
"Luke, I'm sorry, but how old are you now?"   
"Luke. It's not proper to ask a woman her age!" Leia outraged loudly and joined the two.   
"Please take a seat, so we can start." she added and pointed to the numerous seats, which were located around the long dining table.  
  
"I assume everyone knows why we are here today." Leia began, after Luke sat down to her right. Ben sat across from him, followed by Ahsoka, with an envelope in front of him.   
"The point is that Snoke has gone completely insane and that Rey has joined these madmen for whatever reason," Luke replied with audible sarcasm.   
"You haven't changed at all in this respect," Ben said and received a warning expression from Leia.   
"Guys, calm down," she admonished the two, looking sideways towards Ahsoka who watched the exchange of blows between the two with visible interest.  
"Ahsoka, you mentioned that our father left a message for Ben?"   
  
"Bullshit." Luke interjected before the aforementioned psychotherapist even got a word in.   
  
"Luke, enough already."   
Leia's voice was now appropriate with the volume and intensity of a thunderclap. "Try to put your personal feelings aside for once."   
  
"I have tried, and I am happy to remind you that I reluctantly agreed to your plan to let him go back, just for Rey's sake."   
"Right, so he can free rey from the clutches of snoke."   
"Yes, but that never compromised the possibility of him messing up our family history. I can't and won't accept that, let alone tolerate it!"  
"This is exactly what Palpatine was hoping for, and Snoke should succeed now, as we can see." Ben interrupted him in a calm voice as he pushed the envelope over the surface of the dining table.  
"What do you mean?"   
"Read it," he instructed his uncle, who looked at Leia and then Ahsoka questioningly, both nodding their heads in agreement.   
  
Sighing, he unfolded the handwritten message and looked at it.   
"This is his handwriting, this is Anakin's." he recognized visibly and most of all audibly surprised.   
  
With his lips pressed together, Ben looked from the full bearded man to Ahsoka, who shook her head, and then to Leia, who watched her brother's expression tense.   
Within the next few minutes, a veritable rollercoaster of emotions was visible, from anger to sadness to perfect love - all these emotions were reflected in the full bearded man's face.   
After he had finished reading, he folded his father's handwritten message and put it back in the envelope. Tearfully he pushed it back to his nephew, who took it with a trodden face.   
  
"What's your plan?" he asked in a tearful voice and gratefully accepted a handkerchief from Leia.  
"I will finish what he has begun," Ben replied simply.   
"How are you going to do that now that Rey has signed with him?"   
With a side glance towards Ahsoka, who nodded at him, not escaping the hatch, Ben cleared his throat before he replied, "It's not just the hatch."   
"What is it? What is it that you're not telling me?"   
"Rey was with me yesterday, Luke. "She's not the same as she was five years ago. She's completely changed."   
"Changed how?"   
"Physically, she's gotten a lot thinner." Questioningly, his gaze glided from the psychotherapist to Ben, who, with his lips pressed shut by the elderly woman, glanced at his hands resting on the surface of the table.   
"Ben?"   
"I can tell you from personal experience that Snoke finds ways to break the psyche in order to change the personality."   
"What does that mean regarding Rey?"   
"Luke it's better if you..." Leia joined in a worried voice and tried to reach for his hand, but it eluded her attempt.   
"Tell me, Ben!"   
  
"As innocent as she was when I first met her, she ain't now. She showed no shyness when Snoke demanded certain things of her, when he wanted to find out if she and I had enough chemistry, if you know what I mean."   
  
His eyes widened, he gasped for breath for a moment before he calmed down again.   
"Any other change?"   
  
"She's far more ruthless, and if she felt a spark of affection for me, I'm sure Snoke has seen to it that it's extinct by now as well."   
Now it was all those present who looked at him in surprise, while he looked at the wood grain of the dining table with a thoughtful expression on his face, using his fingertips to trace it.   
"Ben, what happened?" Leia wanted to know sensitively.   
"He probably sent Bazine after me again and she made sure Rey caught me in a compromising situation with her."  
"Don't tell me you slept with that snake again," Luke said, snarling his teeth.   
"No! I swear to you, nothing happened, even though Bazine tried several times. But after my grandfather's letter, I'm convinced Snoke is up to something with Rey."   
  
Leia closed her eyes with a sigh, because she still saw the monster of a Sheev Palpatine in front of her, looking into the cameras with devilish laughter at her late father's side, when she was a little girl herself.   
  
"He wants to get her shares of what she is entitled to as the only granddaughter of Sheev Palpatine," she explained, whereupon Ben and Luke looked at Leia with shocked glances, who agreed with Ahsoka: "You may well be right about that assumption."  
  
"What are we going to do about it?"   
"We must stop Snoke from taking over Rey. But how are we going to do that," Luke recognized and looked at Ben at the end of his sentence, who nodded in agreement with him.   
  
"I will do what I have to do to save Rey and our family as grandpa wanted."   
  
"Ben, please be careful. I don't want to lose you again," Leia said, laying her hands lovingly on his. With the expression of a son who loved his mother, he swallowed visibly and nodded softly. 


	35. One Man Town

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Armitage tries to talk his friend into the conscience, while the friend makes it unmistakably clear to him what his goal is.   
Plus, Snoke wants to talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm using the background story of Ep II as the basis for the filming of Anakin's and Padme's story that Snoke wants to film. 
> 
> Song Inspiration: One Man Town (Elmore)

_"You're gonna go to Snoke and tell him you're not gonna make the movie!" _  
_Armitage looked worriedly at Gwen, who shared no less his current state of mind._  
  
_"Why would I do that?" _  
_"Because it's the only way he can put the nightingale project on hold and move on to the filming around Anakin Skywalker," Kylo explained as he stood in the living room area and looked at his friends, both of whom were sitting on the beige couch. _  
  
_"Did you let Snoke boil you down again, or even worse, do you do Bazine again?" _  
_"No, Armitage. Why do you ask me that?" he replied in an unemotional voice. _  
_"Because you're asking me to help you destroy the prestige of your own family?" _  
  
_To his surprise, Kylo then shook his head. _  
_"No, quite the opposite. I'm trying to free you and Gwen from the clutches of Snook." _  
_"How is this going to work?" asked the redhead with a sour undertone before he felt his fiancée's fingers, recognizing the dark-haired man smiling._  
_"He wants to get Snoke to give you notice and make you free." _  
  
_Kylo nodded affirmatively, adding: "Just like you, Gwen." _  
_"What about rey, what about you?" the woman with the curly blond hair wanted to know. _  
_"Don't worry about us. First of all, it's important that you both get out of First Order." _  
_"What should we do after that?" _  
  
_"There are two employment contracts waiting for you in my mother's office. That's all I can do for you, after that you have to forgo my presence as your friend until further notice." _  
_Visibly struck and stirred by the meaning of his words, the couple looked at each other before rising up together and joining their longtime friend. _  
_"Take good care of yourself! When it's Rey or you looking for a home. You'll always find one with us," Gwen said as she hugged Kylo, who nodded and smiled encouragingly in her ear. _  
_"We will be eternally grateful to you, you and your mother," Armitage said as he pulled his best friend into a minute-long hug. "_  
  
_Take good care of Gwen," Kylo replied before turning away from him._  
  
**"Kylo, I want to see you in my office now!" **  
  
Snoke's message did not tolerate any argument, so a little later the dark-haired man found himself in the foyer of the skyscraper that housed the offices of the First Order Company. Wearing a classic suit in dark blue, he walked past the information area, whose employees now knew him. So they merely nodded respectfully as he moved past them. Without paying any further attention to his surroundings, he took the next elevator whose doors opened and met Hux, who looked at him with a tense expression on his face.   
  
"He is beside himself, I wish you good luck," he said to him as the men changed places. "  
You?" Kylo asked in an irritated voice.   
"Rey is already upstairs and must wait for you before he receives them," the redhead replied before the doors began to close.   
"Thanks." he said before his best friend disappeared from his field of vision. Inwardly, preparing for what was probably to come, he breathed in and out several times before the elevator doors opened again and the large lounge of the First Order Company appeared.   
  
"Mr. Ren, CEO Snoke is waiting for you." he heard the voice of the young woman at Information.   
"Thank you very much," he said politely and made his way to the appropriate office. Arriving there he found the waiting silhouette of Rey sitting on the chair, her slender legs crossed.   
  
"Did you finally find the time to come here or were you too busy with Bazine," she asked immediately after seeing him.   
"Rey, between Bazine and me..." he began, but the brunette raised her hand.   
"Don't even try it. It's not my business anymore who you go to bed with, isn't it?"   
"Isn't it?"   
"No, after all we're not together," she said in an unemotional voice, looking directly at him. Her hazel eyes were accentuated by a heavy make-up, her cheeks, which normally had occasional freckles, had completely disappeared under a cream tone. The young woman's face resembled more that of a porcelain doll, a doll without any feeling.   
  
"How good, you two are here at last" he heard the audibly angry voice of Snoke as he led to his office in the open doorway. "Come in and close the door behind you." Without paying attention to Kylo, Rey followed the older man on command, so that the man himself closed the door behind him.   
  
"I see you have already begun to internalize the role of the nightingale in person." he heard the predator's harsh voice. Frowning, Kylo turned to the two of them and watched as Rey peeled himself out of his dark winter coat and the skin-tight, black-colored dress that ended above his knees came out. It was low-cut at the back so that the base of her hip was already visible.   
"Of course, I'll finally do what you ask of me, Mr. Snoke," she replied, looking sideways towards Kylo, who sat down next to her in the chair.   
  
"Good girl, and what about you, Kylo?"  
"What about you? As far as I know, I have no need for tutoring in clothing, appearance or personality."  
  
While the old man denied his sarcastic remark to him with a mocking laugh, he was confronted by Ray's hostile expression. Inwardly, he begged the young woman who meant so much to him for forgiveness, but outwardly he had to play his part.   
"Well, in any case... As you may have read, I have a new joint film project lined up for you." While Rey, amazingly, only nodded silently, Kylo cleared his throat, touching his lips with his index finger. "  
  
Yes, about that, I have a question." Snoke's gaze wandered from Rey to himself.   
"What's that? "How are we going to do both in a year? The briefing packet on the nightingale said it would take four months to shoot, while the new project will certainly take longer."   
"I was well aware of this, but due to unforeseen events I have been forced to put the shoot on hold for now." With a quick sideways glance at Rey, whose eyes were still on Snoke, he turned his attention back to them. "What were these events?" Interested, he watched as the old man laid his hands on some papers and cleared his throat discreetly before saying, "You're not supposed to care."   
  
"What's the situation now? Now that the nightingale's shoot seems to be off." Rey wanted to know. "Here's the first info for you." Snoke replied to her and handed the two of them two wing folders. Without paying attention to Kylo, Rey grabbed the first one and beat their seat neighbours to the punch. The latter ignored her actions and nodded and took his own wing folder.   
  
"How long do we have to prepare for the roles?" the young woman asked in a businesslike and at the same time distant tone of voice.   
"In three weeks, shooting starts in Italy." Surprised, Kylo and Rey looked up at the same time from the files. "Yes, I have spoken to the local authorities. We'll just use the location we booked for the Nightingale for this movie - hence the early start of shooting. I'm also announcing that he will be in the theaters in that time frame so he can qualify for the Academy."   
  
At the mention of the Academy, Kylo's back was cold and he had to try not to throw up right in front of Snoke. "Well, let's do our best not to let you down, Mr. Snoke. Do you agree with me there, Kylo?" With a blank expression he looked at Rey, who gave him a fake smile. "Of course, whatever you want."   
  
"Good." replied the CEO of First Company, visibly satisfied, while Kylo screamed inside.  
  
_"Bastard!" _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since I am moving the shooting into that of Episode II, the shooting for the filming of Anakin & Padmes Love will also take place there. In reality, the balcony scenes on Lake Como(Italy) were shot in 2001/2002 and this is the location I used for my story.


	36. Adore You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kylo and Rey - their thoughts and worries about each others

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Inspiration: Adore You (Harry Styles)

_"What kind of scenes will be shot in Italy?" _  
_"We're going to re-create the shooting for those films where Anakin and Padme fell in love," explained Jensen Pryde, who was hired by Snoke to direct the film project. _  
_"Varykino," Rey replied as she searched for the corresponding pages in the script, while Kylo silently listened to the explanations of the man in front of him. _  
_"Right. We will also shoot the secret wedding of the two on location immediately afterwards." Pryde added, earning a frown from Kylo that Snoke could not help but notice. _  
_"Kylo." Questioningly, he looked up from his copy. _  
_"Yes?"_  
_"Is there a problem?" the man with the harsh voice asked, whereupon Rey and Pryde looked up at him._  
_"No, I was just surprised," replied the dark-haired man. _  
_"Oh, you mean because they actually got married in Los Angeles." _  
_The man nodded his head in agreement. _  
  
_"Well, I've decided to change and adjust some facts. After all, we want to provide the audience with enough entertainment and drama."_  
_"Their lives have been dramatic enough already." Kylo murmured softly as he felt the look of Rey. _  
_"How long do we have for the shooting in Italy?" the brunette next to him asked after she cleared her throat, thus attracting attention. _  
_"Two weeks, including one week at Lake Como," Snoke explained, whereupon Kylo looked with widened eyes from the CEO to Pryde, who nodded. _  
_"This is way too little for the amount of scenes!" "There won't be any more, so I'd imagine you'll bring Rey a little closer to your biological grandmother's nature." _  
_With gritted teeth, Kylo formed a fist, invisible to Pryde and Snoke, who stood together behind the desk. Only Rey could see it because she was sitting right next to him, looking at him emotionlessly. _  
  
_"Well, is that all?" she wanted to know in a business tone. _  
_"Yes, why?" _  
_"Because I have another appointment." Snoke waved absently toward the door, which for the two actors meant their appointment with the CEO was over. _  
  
_Quickly Kylo grabbed his leather jacket and almost hurried out of the office, rushing down the path that led him directly to the elevators. _  
_"Kylo, wait," Rey shouted out of breath to the dark-haired people, ignoring the irritated faces of the secretaries present. _  
  
_"Miss Erso, your coat!" she heard the voice of one of the women, whereupon she paused briefly and nodded, reaching for the piece of clothing before continuing her pursuit. _  
_"Damn you, Kylo!" she cried out again as she watched the dark-haired man enter the interior of the elevator. The addressed man pushed his body between the sliding doors and allowed Rey to join him at the last second. _  
  
_"What do you want, Rey?" he wanted to know from her in an audibly annoyed voice, while his gaze was directed at the elevator's display. _  
_"I wanna know what that was in Snoke's office just now."_  
_"I don't know what you're talking about," he replied coldly. _  
_"Yes, you do. You know exactly what I'm talking about. It's Snook's remark about you telling me the nature of Padme Amidala." _  
_With an angry expression on his face, he now looked directly at her, his dark eyes narrowed, his lips pressed shut. _  
_"He talks about my grandmother as if she were a piece of meat. He wants to make a blockbuster out of my grandparents' life story." _  
_"What's wrong with that?" _  
_"That this is still the story of my family. "I will not drag their reputation through the mud, no matter what my original reasons were for returning to Snoke," he replied, completely upset and taking a deep breath as they opened the elevator doors at the same time._  
_"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to pack and do some things before we leave for Italy." he added, but did not pay any attention to her and hurriedly left the foyer. _  
  
_Not taking her eyes off his silhouette, which disappeared in the crowd outside, she reached for her smartphone._  
  
_"Start with fifteen percent and raise it next week and by five percent every other day," she explained in a serious voice that would not tolerate any backtalk and immediately ended the conversation. _  
  
Two days had passed since their short conversation, if this could be called such at all. Rey was in first class with the other participants of the film shooting, on the flight from New York to Milan. From there they would take a bus that would take them to Lake Como.   
  
Her hazel eyes were fixed on the tablet in front of her, which provided her with all the necessary information about Padme Amidala. Contrary to Snoke's request, Kylo had not spoken to her since that situation in the elevator. Even now on the plane he didn't even look at her. Although she was sitting directly in front of him, she was not able to communicate directly with him, because they were flying in an Airbus 380 and the first class seats were like small compartments that even allowed the passengers to close the doors to get some privacy.   
  
Sighing, she looked out the window where she could see distant lights on the horizon. Maybe she should try talking to him again, after all, they would soon be one of THE lovers of the last decades.   
  
Determined, she rose, stepping out of her bunk only to find that his place was deserted. Sighing, she looked around and watched as some of the camera crew stepped out of the lounge, which was very close to her seat. Why not, thought the brunette, and pushed the curtain aside, as the two areas were separated.   
  
Frowning, she found herself next to a bar that had a round-arched counter and a steward was preparing a drink. Slowly her eyes wandered along the luxurious furnishings until she reached the seated figure. His face was covered by his long, dark hair, but Rey knew exactly who she was facing. "Either you go back to your bunk..." he began while his fingers turned the pages of his reading. "Or?" she interrupted him asking. "Or you take a drink and sit down," he replied, lifting his head and looking directly at her.   
  
"Well, then I'd like a mineral water, please." she said towards the steward, who nodded her order. Then she approached the small table and sat down under the protesting gaze of Kylo. "You can't be serious." "Why not?" "I have come here to prepare for the coming days in peace." "So did I." she said, gratefully accepting the glass of mineral water before sitting alone again with the dark-haired man.   
  
"What do you want, Rey?" "I want you to tell me about her?" "About who?" "Your grandmother, Padme Amidala. Sighing, he rolled his eyes in annoyance before he put the script on the table in front of him and turned his full attention to her. "As you may know, she died giving birth to my mother. In other words, I never got to know her personally." "I know that." "Then why are you asking me?" he wanted to know and examined her. After a few seconds, he began to nod slowly. "I understand you want to extract family secrets from me. That's why Snoke told you at the office, right?" "I don't know, but I suppose so." "Are you really that devoted to him?" Rey, for her part, watched him with her lips pressed together for a few seconds before she gave him a fake smile. "Come up to my suite tonight and find out for yourself." she offered with him in a lascivious voice before she rose and left the lounge with a confident smile.   
"Can I get you anything else, Mr. Ren?" the steward asked the dark-haired man, who replied with an angry expression, "Yes, a bourbon, please."   
After adding the alcoholic beverage to his body, he reached for his smartphone and wrote a message:  
  
**"It's damn hard to keep my mask on in front of her."**  
**"Why?" **  
**"Because she's trying to walk up to me only to be confronted again by cold, calculating Rey." **  
**"Nonetheless, stick to our plan." **  
**"He wants to change things. **  
**"If it goes as planned, we'll be able to work this out. Give it your best shot." **

Sighing, he wrote back a reply before returning to first class.   
  
**"I will, count on it!" **


	37. Time After Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The shooting of the ambitious film project of Snoke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspiration: Time After Time (EPIC POP Version)

**_"Varykino,_**  
_**a saga of two lovers - connected by fate, separated by others. Experience the greatest cineciastic love story since Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler." **_  
  
Kylo sat next to Rey in his seat and watched in silence as the moving images of his biological grandparents ran across the big screen.   
  
_**"Anakin Skywalker as Revan, the henchman of evil,**_" said the background speaker, showing a young man with short, dark blond hair. He wore a dark cape and held an antique sword in his hand.   
  
_**"Padme Amidala as Bastilla, the Princess of Light,"** _the next change of scene introduced the woman who looked so similar to Rey, as she now discovered with surprise. She wore a floor-length, dark blue dress with countless crystals. Her long, dark brown hair had some plaits.   
  
"_**Revan and Bastilla, lovers like night and day.**_"  
  
Anakin and Padme stood close together, holding hands and looking at each other with feeling.   
_**"I can't hand you over to the colonel, I just can't."**_ he spoke to her in desperation, shaking her head.   
_**"You must do it, it's the only way you can help me." **_  
While her voice sounded in the background, there were scenes of the two of them on a balcony, being secretly married by a priest. 

** _"He did what she asked, only to lose her in the end." _ **

_**"Revan, don't be a coward and face me!"** _

Bastilla wore a long, dark dress. Her dark hair was hidden under a black hood and in her hand she held a sword with red crystals.   
  
_**"Varykino, the story of love and betrayal. Coming soon to your cinema. "**_  
  
  
As soon as the canvas turned black, Rey looked at her seat neighbours, who looked straight ahead without emotion.   
"All around the shooting of this film, Varykino, will take place." they heard the voice of Pryde as he walked down the stairs while the lights were turned back on.   
"Did Snoke say how far the filming was going to go?" Kylo wanted to know, since the president of the First Order Company still withheld the contents for the finale from everyone.  
"No, he said he was still making it dependent on the shooting in Italy."   
  
With a frown, Rey glanced questioningly at Kylo, who responded briefly before turning back to the director.   
"He wants to see shots of you two together. Then he wants to convey his decision and the pages with the finale," the man replied emotionlessly when a smartphone began to vibrate audibly.   
  
"Excuse me, please, this will be the New York office," Pryde said, quickly leaving the small cinema hall and leaving his two leading actors alone.   
"What is all this?" muttered Kylo and wrote a few lines in his notebook, the contents of which Rey could not read from her seat.   
"Isn't it normal that the finale often has to be written during the shooting" Rey asked and received a soft laugh as a reaction on his part.   
"What is it?" the brunette wanted to know with a frown, whereupon the dark-haired man put the pen aside and then looked directly at her.   
"It's only now that I remember how new you are to the business."   
  
With clenched lips, Rey tried to stand up, but was prevented from doing so by his strong fingers wrapped around her left wrist.   
"Kylo..." she began in a warning voice, but he wouldn't have any argument and she lowered herself back into her seat.   
"Do you know what the real purpose of us being here is?"   
"To familiarize ourselves with the film that brought Anakin and Padme together? After all, it's that background we're supposed to be filming," Rey replied and received a consenting nod.   
"Then you should know that the ending should actually be clear in advance."   
"Her wedding," Rey muttered recognizing before her eyes widened instantly.   
"That's right, I see you understand.   
"What is he up to?" she whispered in an almost awestruck voice.   
"That's a good question," he replied before the door behind Rey was opened again and Pryde appeared in the doorway.   
  
"Let's start the movie," he instructed the person in the projection room, not paying any further attention to either of them, before the lights went out again and the screen began showing old film scenes.   
  
Revan stood at the window of the room where the personal bedroom of the woman who, with the help of her zoffe, stored her clothes in a suitcase-like container was located.  
"I don't like hiding," she said in an angry voice.   
"You'd better not see him again," he replied coolly.  
"Better?" she asked, paused and glanced at the young helper, who nodded and quickly closed the door behind her.  
"I'll tell you what I think," she began, approaching him, whereby her floor-length dress, held in azure blue, noisily followed on the floor.   
"It is you who does not want anything to happen to me. You, Revan of Rim, are no longer master of your own feelings," she continued, looking at his angular face, which was marked by a scar.   
"How does it feel to know how alone you really are?" As she spoke softly, her fingertips gently touched the beginning of the scar above his left eye.   
"You are forbidden to tie yourself down, yet you feel it..." She paused, her eyes fixed on his lips.   
"...the pull to the dark side." she stopped, gave him a smile and wanted to step back. But at the same moment the man's right arm shot forward and grabbed the forearm of his female counterpart.   
"The dark side? You have no idea how it feels to serve the Dark Lord."   
She looked up from her forearm with an angry look, again confronted by the sparkle of his dark eyes.   
"Is that so?" she wanted to know before the next moment she felt his chest against her body.   
"I will show you the dark side." she heard his dark voice before he kissed her passionately and ignited the deep, blazing fire inside her.   
She embraced his neck, whereupon his fingers tore at her dress and simply tore the lower part off her body with a loud jerk. Releasing the slender legs, he lifted her up and felt them coil around his hips.   
"I was never averse to the dark side," she said with a grin between each kiss.   
"He replied and pressed her against the next wall with physical pressure and began to tear the still intact top of her dress to pieces.   
"I have long since become a slave to her and his master," she declared in a triumphant voice, whereupon he looked at her with a shocked expression.   
"Welcome to the right side, Revan of Rim," she said, leaning forward and biting a certain spot on her neck, whereupon the affected person groaned loudly.   
  
"And cut!" shouted the loud voice of Pryde across the room, whereupon Rey's head rose from the back of Kylo's neck and looked questioningly at the director. The black-haired man in whose arms she was also looked at the man with the headphones.   
  
"Kylo you can put them down, that was very good," Pryde explained, causing the young woman to loosen her leg clasp around her colleague's hip in order to be put on the floor by them.   
"You were phenomenal, Rey," said one of the assistants while they brought her a bathrobe to cover her body and prevent her from catching a cold, since it was very cool in that antique room.   
  
Kylo turned away from the brunette, clearing his throat, but instead he walked to Pryde. "What's next on the schedule?"   
"Anakin's confession to Padme," Pryde replied, demandingly reaching out his right hand and receiving two slim folders from his assistants.   
"What is this?"   
"Snoke's changes to the scene.   
Frowning, Kylo reached for a copy, while Pryde instructed Rey's personal assistant to hand over her folder.  
Confused and then shocked, the dark-haired man looked up from the paper. "That's not what happened. That's not what happened at all."   
"Snoke is not interested in the truth, but in a good drama about Anakin Skywalker."   
"He never saw Padme..." Pryde shrugged and returned behind the camera.   
"I won't do it!" Kylo spoke up, attracting everyone's attention.   
  
Rey looked at him confusingly before the young woman handed her the folder and quietly exchanged a few words with her. Frowning, she opened the first page and looked with a shocked expression at Kylo who threw his copy away furiously.   
"Pryde, we can't shoot it like that," she said, while the dark-haired man paused in his movement and looked at her stressed.   
"That's what Snoke wants."  
"I don't care."  
"Then I have to call him."  
"Do it!" she said in a loud voice, causing the others present to gasp for breath.   
  
With an annoyed look in the direction of the two main characters, he reached for his smartphone, dialled a number while saying: "You'll both regret this." Then, before the caller on the other line picked up the call, he had run out of the room.   
  
Independent of the eyes of everyone present, Rey slowly walked towards Kylo who was running around the room like a chased animal. "This is not right." she heard his voice murmuring.   
"Everybody out!" she shouted, earning a series of shocked and yet astonished faces. "When Pryde returns, you can stand on the mat again, or risk him beating everything short and sweet." she added, pointing to Kylo, who, as if on command, grabbed a chair and smashed it to the floor, breaking it into pieces.   
  
Almost in panic, everyone in the room fled before the last one behind him slammed the door loudly. "Kylo, they are gone," she said in a calm voice, while the last one was already reaching for the next piece of furniture. "Ben!" cried out Rey as the dark-haired man swung out and froze in his motion as her plea came through to him.  
"What?!"  
"Calm down," she begged him, gently touching his upper arm, causing his arms to drop. His breath went fast, his gaze was lowered and Rey could watch his entire upper body vibrate with tension.   
"How dare he." he muttered.  
"I don't know," she replied softly and pulled him into a hesitant embrace that he returned immediately. He nestled his head inside her neck, soaking up her scent deeply. How much he had missed her body, the feeling of her warmth.  
"Why did you let him buy you," he said without thinking, only to be confronted again by the cold air in the next second. Quickly the brunette turned away from him, her gaze lowered towards the floor.   
  
"Why Rey?"  
"Why what?" Kylo reached for her arm again and turned to him.  
"You know exactly what I'm talking about." Her gaze was still turned away from him.  
"I can't answer that."   
"Why not!" he demanded in a harsh voice.  
"Because I can't yet!" she replied with a raised voice and tears in her eyes as she looked directly at him. Confused by her emotional outburst, he watched her frown as the door was opened and Pryde came in. He still seemed to be on the phone when he approached the two of them.   
  
"Here, Mr. Snoke wants to talk to you," he said to Rey, stalling her smartphone. With one last, wounded look in Kylo's direction, she reached for the cell phone.   
"Mr. Snoke."   
Under the watchful eyes of Kylo and Pryde, the brunette listened to the words of the CEO of First Order Company. Frowning, Kylo watched as she first pressed her lips together, her jaw trembling for a moment before resignedly closing her eyes.   
"Of course, as you wish," she said in a devoted voice before holding the phone towards Kylo without looking at him.   
Sighing, he now also reached for the smartphone and spoke:   
"Mr. Snoke."   
"I regretfully hear that neither you nor Rey will abide by my changes."   
"That's right."   
"Do I need to remind you of what you promised me."   
"I will not be bought."  
"I'm aware of that, but you may want to buy the innocence of your beloved."

His gaze wandered to Rey, who in the meantime was talking to Pryde   
"Or would you rather I declare her a tramp, have an article published on how her own mother and herself are addicted to drugs."   
"Of course not."   
"That's what I thought, so we agree?"   
"That's." he replied in an unemotional voice.   
"Fine, give me Pryde again."   
Without another word, he stepped up to Rey and the director with the smartphone in his hand before returning his phone.   
"Mr. Snoke," said the older man, leaving them behind while he ran to the cameraman.   
  
Kylo looked thoughtfully at Rey, who looked at him with pressed lips. Her face looked like an emotionless mask but her eyes were full of sadness. Whatever Snoke had on Rey, it made her bend to his perverse desires. Could it be that she was playing the same game as he was? 


	38. Falling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Snoke is on the warpath and pays Leia a visit. 
> 
> In the meantime Kylo follows a trail that leads him very close to the truth. But how did it come to this?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is told by two people - first Leia and then Kylo. It is marked accordingly ( - Leia - , - Kylo -) 
> 
> In these chapter some warnings are necessary in advance
> 
> \- Sexual Content  
\- Drug Abuse 
> 
> Song Inspiration: Falling - Harry Styles   
(woa, what a song - it´s incredible and the lyric, just wow!)

**"How are things in Italy?" **   
**"As expected, and worse." **

**"What can I do?" **   
**"I want you to keep buying shares, step by step." **

**"For how long?" **   
**"Until he gets nervous."**   
  


** _Six months later _ **   
  
  
**\- Leia - **

  
"Leia, you've gotta see this."   
  
Confused, the addressed looked up from the documents when the door to her office was literally torn open and a nervous hatch appeared in the doorway.   
"Leia, I'm sorry," she heard Kaydel, who appeared immediately behind the full bearded man as he stormed into the room.   
"It's all right, Kaydel," she instructed the young woman who nodded and closed the door behind her.   
Sighing, she took off her reading glasses and gave her brother a smile as he sat down in one of the chairs opposite her.   
  
"Please make yourself comfortable," she said with an ironic undertone.   
"To what do I owe the honor of your visit?" she added, before he threw a newspaper article on the desk.   
"Read it yourself and then you tell me," he replied curtly.   
  
Frowning, she reached for her reading glasses, put them on the bridge of her nose and turned to the front page.   
After she had read the headline, she cast a critical glance over the glasses to the older man.   
"I knew it couldn't be you."   
"No, in fact, I'm not responsible."   
"Then who is? Lando, maybe?"   
"I would have known about it."   
"What are we going to do? First we should find out who's behind this." Luke suggested, while Leia leaned back in her chair and sighed.  
"I'm sure Snoke is already pulling out all the stops and we'll soon find out what's going on."   
  
Before the two could continue their conversation, a loud whirl sounded from outside, which the siblings noticed with worried faces.   
"What's going on outside," Leia asked and rose at the same time as Luke who raised his hand and told her to stay behind her desk while he stepped towards the door. Just before he could reach it, she was literally torn open again and the silhouette of a tall man in a suit appeared.   
  
With an astonished expression on his face, the full-bearded man now looked back at his sister, who pressed her lips together and placed her hands on the surface of her desk.   
"Mister Snoke, to what do I owe the pleasure?" she asked as he entered the spacious office in the company of two bodyguards.   
"I want to talk to you."  
"We can do that gladly, but without your bloodhounds," Leia explained with a powerful voice and a serious expression on her face, which showed Snoke that she wouldn't tolerate the presence of his stocky men for a minute longer.   
"Wait in the lobby!" he ordered the two men without taking his eyes off the woman in whose office he was standing. Without hesitation they followed his order and closed the door under the confused look of Kaydel.   
  
"What can I do for you? Would you like a cup of coffee? Luke you perhaps?" Leia asked in a friendly voice and received two shakes of the head.   
As usual, the CEO of the First Order Company leaned against his gold-plated walking stick, its tip reflecting the head of a Rotweiler.   
"You have a very nice office here."   
"Thank you very much, but I'm sure you didn't drive all the way across Manhattan for my office equipment," said Leia and settled back into her chair while Luke protectively stepped behind her and watched the older man wait.   
"No, indeed."   
"Well?"   
"I want to know why you are trying to buy my company. Do you want to destroy my work?" he asked in a loud yet angry voice that would make a normal woman tremble, but not Leia Organa.   
  
  
"That's a tempting thought, but no, I don't have the necessary change to make it happen," she replied with a slight twitch around the corners of her mouth.   
"If it's not you and not her bodyguard Calrissian, in L.A. - then who the hell is it?" he asked angrily and moved restlessly in front of the window front that gave him a view of Central Park.  
"It looks like someone's trying to take your company away from you." Luke remarked in an amused voice.   
"It's obvious, but the question is why."   
"Snoke, you've made a lot of enemies in the last few years." Leia threw in the towel, but the older man waved him off.   
"No, I have them all under control. It must be someone else, someone I don't think about at all," he said in a thoughtful voice, his back turned to the twin siblings.   
  
"What do you know anyway?"   
"For nearly seven months, a certain company has been buying up shares from various shareholders They now own nearly 50 percent."  
Luke laughed out loud and got an angry look from Snoke.   
"I was convinced that it had to be just the two of you, now that I was filming her parents' life."   
"I'm told that not all details are correct." the full bearded man replied reluctantly.  
"Well, well, well. Looks like someone couldn't keep their mouth shut."   
"Don't blame anybody. We got it from the press, who were given a first trailer in advance," Leia explained, glancing at her gold watch.   
"Which, by the way, as far as I know, will be online soon."   
  
Snoke nodded absently, before he suddenly started to grin and caused a worried exchange of looks between Luke and Leia.   
"Perhaps I should have a closer talk with your son. I'm sure he knows why someone suddenly wants to buy my company."   
Leia clawed her fingers deep into the backs of her chair, which thankfully remained hidden under the table and thus Snoke's gaze.   
  
"Do this, if you think it is right. "My sister and I have no contact with him."   
"I hope for your sake and for your son's sake that he has nothing to do with this."   
Leia rose abruptly from her chair and received a mocking look from Snoke.   
"Well, well, well. Here they are, the motherly feelings."   
"Get out of my office, Snoke!" she hissed angrily in his direction.   
"Have a pleasant afternoon. I'm sure I'll see you at the premiere of my new film."   
  
"Certainly not." Luke shouted after him as the elderly man with the ostentatious walking stick opened the door laughing and left the premises under the intimidating looks of the staff.   
"Call Ben immediately and warn him," Leia asked her brother while he already had his smartphone in his hand.   
  
"I'm already on it... Ben, it's Luke."   
  
  
**\- Kylo -**   
  
As he had been doing for three months, he sat in front of his laptop and watched the financial movements around the First Order Company. Since the day he returned from Italy, after the filming around the film about his grandparents was officially completed, he had devoted all his time to studying the financial market and its movements around Snoke's company. He didn't know why, but since the phone conversation with the CEO and Rey's strange reaction to it, he couldn't get rid of the thought that something was happening here that he didn't know about.  
  
At first he didn't notice anything special because Rey was acting distant as usual. This closeness, which had connected them at the moment of his outburst of emotion, had been destroyed again with Snoke's intervention. During the remaining weeks of the shooting they both behaved very professional, even the scene mentioned above they both shot without any major problems.   
  
_"You slept with her, didn't you?" Padme said with tears, but her look was marked by irrepressible rage. _  
_"That's right," he admitted with a sigh, took a step in her direction and stopped when she shouted "not. _  
_"Under normal circumstances, I would tell you to go to hell." _  
_"Under normal circumstances? What are you talking about?" he wanted to know with a frown and could watch her slim fingers resting on her lower abdomen._  
_"That I'm pregnant. I am with child, Ani." _  
  
_His eyes widened in shock and he fell to his knees before he looked up at her with tears in his eyes when she came to him. _  
_"Padme, I'm so sorry," he muttered as tears streamed down his cheeks. _  
  
_"I know it does, and yet I will make you feel it for the rest of our lives." she hissed spitefully in his ear before she left the room, leaving a desperate Anakin on the floor. _  
_"Cut! That was very good," Pryde announced in a satisfied voice while Kylo rose and wiped the tears from his face. _  
  
_"If I didn't know any better, I could believe you had a relationship," he added in a mocking tone. _  
  
_Both Kylo and Rey ignored his statement, instead they asked for the content of the next scene. _  
_They never spoke privately for a single moment, even on the flight back to New York they sat far apart. While he himself was busy with various books and movies, Rey spent most of the flight sleeping._  
_That the young woman was suffering from an acute lack of sleep became obvious when one morning she was late for an outside shoot on Lake Como. It was only through her personal assistant that she woke up. _  
_As expected, Pryde had immediately informed Snoke why this man had apparently put Rey under so much pressure that she must have been under the influence of questionable means during the love scenes. _  
  
_"What did you take today?" he asked her, while they paused for a short break in their position. Rey sat bent over his naked body and looked to the side. _  
_"What do you think?" she replied in an emotionless voice, not knowing what he was talking about._  
_"Your pupils are dilated considerably. Your skin is pale without the make-up artist to make you up accordingly. Your movements are excessive and slutty at the same time." _  
  
_With a cold smile she looked straight at him, almost piercing his eyes. _  
_"Snoke didn't like my movements well enough, he told me to take something that would loosen me up and as you can see it helps me to do my job perfectly." _  
_"You're just like you were when I came back," he murmured softly. _  
_"If you think I don't know what I'm doing, you're wrong. These pills help me discover myself." _  
_"You've been taking them ever since you submitted to Snoke, haven't you?" he stated in shock. _  
_"You are a real lightning bolt, Kylo Ren," she said, nimbly removing the protection for his body's center and sinking moaningly to his erection. _  
_"What the hell, Rey!" took it away from him moaning before she began to move slowly. _  
_"What the fuck are you two doing?" he heard the angry voice of Pryde. He wanted to reply to the angry director, but Rey began to move faster, while she gasped and replied: "We're having sex, what does it look like?" _  
_"You're supposed to wait until we adjust the light to match." _  
_With a shocked look on his face, he looked from Pryde to Rey, who looked down at him with a grin as she rode towards his orgasm. _  
_"Why?" _  
_"Snoke." all she was able to do was say. _  
  
_Somehow Pryde had managed to catch the orgasm with his camera in time before he discharged himself into Rey and she reached her own climax._  
_After the experience he avoided Rey wherever possible, he only spoke during the scenes in their respective roles. He didn't trust her anymore, because she started to become more and more like Kira. Furthermore, he caught her several times, when she secretly indulged in one or the other coke line. _  
_"Why Rey." he muttered, while he felt a twinge inside whenever he thought back to these scenes. _  
  
The ring tone of his smartphone ripped him out of the unpleasant memories, whereupon his eyes wandered to the display. Frowning, he recognized the name and pressed the green phone.   
  
"Luke?"   
"Snoke, he was just in your mother's office.  
"What? Why? Why?"   
"Someone has been trying to buy stock in the First Order Company for months. He thought it was us."   
"Is it you?"   
"No, and from what I can tell by your reaction, it's not you either." 

Frowning, his eyes wandered to the screen of his laptop, which had just displayed another transaction of shares.   
  
"No, but another five percent has just been acquired," he explained as he watched the transaction.   
"How do you know this?"  
"I've had my suspicions for several months and have been watching the financial movements in the stock market. It seems I was right."   
"Do you have any idea who might be behind this?"  
  
Oh yes, I can imagine, but on the other hand, it would confirm my worst fears, he thought to himself, without sharing his direct thoughts with Luke.  
  
"No, I do not know."   
"Snoke suspects you. He threatened Leia if you were even remotely in there."   
"He will find nothing, since I am not involved."   
"Well, I just wanted to give you a heads up."   
"Thanks, Luke," he said, and he ended the conversation.  
  
No sooner had he put the smartphone down than the ringtone rang again. But this time he didn't recognize the phone number. He scanned the sequence of numbers for a few seconds before hesitantly starting the conversation:   
"Hello?"   
"Is this Ben Solo?"  
  
He rose silently and walked towards the front of the window.   
"Who the hell is this? How did you get this number?"   
"My name is Amilyn Holdo and we need to speak urgently." 

"Regarding?"   
"Rey. If you want her to survive the coming week unharmed, come quickly to this address."   
"Why, what should I happen?"   
"Snoke, if he finds out what she did."   
His eyes wandered awestruck to the screen of his laptop, absent he replied, "Send me the address, I'll be on my way." 


	39. It´s Time (Part One)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kylo finally learns the whole truth behind Rey's strange behavior, what she is responsible for and what she did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This and the next chapter belong together. They deal with drug addiction and the process of getting off drugs. 
> 
> Warnings:  
\- Drugs Abuse (Mention) 
> 
> Song Inspiration: Imagine Dragons (It´s Time)

The moment he left his apartment, Luke's admonitory words came back to him.   
  
_"Snoke suspects you. He threatened Leia if you were even remotely involved."_   
  
"Damn." he murmured, grabbed his personal smartphone, the one Snoke had told him to destroy, and wrote a message before dropping it in his own mailbox and leaving the foyer with a quick step.   
  
He drove to Fitfth Avenue and disappeared into one of the side alleys, where a secret entrance led to the museum, whose address Amilyn Holdo had previously given him.   
Quickly he closed the door behind him, locking it with the various locks that were fitted. He then walked down the long corridor, illuminated by a single light bulb, to reach the end of the corridor before another door. He knocked at the interval he was asked for in writing, which opened the door and revealed a woman with lavender hair.   
  
"Miss Holdo?"  
"Please come in." she said with a worried look on her face and stepped aside so he could enter.   
Kylo looked around curiously and realized that he was in a small apartment. "What is this place?"  
"It is official, the apartment of the curator of our museum," she explained as he continued to look around.  
"Where is Rey?"  
"She is in the bedroom, sleeping now."  
  
He took note of this for a moment before he asked, "What is going on here? What exactly were you talking about on the phone?"   
Nodding, she told him to follow her, which he did without resistance. Interested, he noticed that the woman, who must have been about the same age as his own mother, led him into a separate room that was furnished like a small office.   
  
"Rey came to see me a few months ago."  
"Why?"  
"She wanted to know more about her background."  
"That's legitimate."  
"We came across some interesting things. These have affected you, among others." He frowned and looked at the desk, where there were three thick folders.   
"Ben Solo. Rey Palpatine. Project Order 66.2" he read in a thoughtful voice.   
  
"What is this?" he wanted to know from Holdo, pointing to the corresponding thick folders in front of him. They were right next to a laptop with a black screen.   
"Inside are all the information we've collected about you, your background and Rey."   
"May I?" he wanted to know, so he reached out for the folder that had his own name on it.   
"Of course, you're welcome to take it with you. I think Rey put it together anyway with the idea that one day, he would pass it on to you."  
"What is Order 66.2?"   
  
Interested Kylo could see how the woman's face darkened instantly in front of him and her lips pressed together.   
"The reason why rey's life is in danger."   
"Why?"   
"Read it for yourself and you will understand," said Amilyn, taking the folder and presenting it to the dark-haired men.   
Frowning, he accepted the heavy folder and settled on the nearby double bed.   
  
"You're welcome to read through the papers outside on the spacious dining table. You'll find more room there," she suggested, whereupon Kylo rose in agreement and followed the woman out of the room. "Don't forget the laptop, because you'll need it." she added.   
Quickly, he turned back to the desk, closed the screen and took the mobile computer with him.   
  
As soon as he settled down with the documents and turned on the laptop, a lot of tables and windows appeared.   
"Here's a cup of coffee," Holdo said, leaving him a cup of the caffeinated hot beverage while she settled herself down a few seats away with her own cup.  
As soon as he had read the first pages, the table of contents and a rough outline of the reason for Order 66.2, he looked shocked at Amilyn, who nodded to him with a smile.  
"Where did she get all the money to buy the shares?"   
"Palpatine left her a secret account that nobody knows about - not even Snoke!"   
"But that's not enough to..." he started reading the items.   
"I have placed part of my fortune at her disposal."   
"Why?" he asked, irritated by your part in the conspiracy.   
"I know your mother Ben and I know what Palpatine did to her family. I am also aware of Snoke's plans."  
  
"What do you mean, his plans?" he asked while casually leafing through the individual contracts of the stock acquisitions.   
"Palpatine's wish had always been that Rey would one day take over his inheritance. Since he had orchestrated Snoke accordingly early on, he now wants to implement exactly that - just not..."   
"...in Rey's sense, but he wants to raise himself to a new emperor" Kylo came to the realization muttering.  
"Right, once Snoke has all the shares and the gigantic fortune Palpatine Rey left behind."   
"All doors will be open to him," he realized.  
"I warned Rey not to get involved with him. "but she felt it was a necessary evil if she could ensure that..."   
Amilyn paused and lowered her gaze, causing Kylo to look up from the files to examine the woman. "To make sure what?"   
  
The woman took a deep breath before lifting her head and looking him straight in the eye before answering, "So that your life and the lives of others will no longer be in danger. "   
"Why should my life be in danger?" he asked visibly irritated, whereupon Amilyn gave him a knowing expression on his face.  
"But of course..." he muttered and began to understand. Slowly, the puzzle came together, piece by piece.   
  
"To finally dispel his mistrust she had to go the same way as Kira Kenobi had once done. She got herself some coke and slowly but surely started taking it. At first she had no problem keeping the consumption under control. For the first time, it had no influence on her decision-making power whatsoever, her will to carry out our plan exactly as we had worked it out before. The takeover was supposed to be gradual, but then during the filming in Italy something happened that probably caused her to drastically increase consumption. Their decisions, the amount of stock purchases increased immensely, as did their behavior. After she came back from shooting, I tried to stop her - but by then it was too late."  
  
"Too late?" Kylo asked reluctantly, not wanting to hear the answer that would inevitably follow.   
"She is dependent, Kylo. She hardly eats anything anymore, is a shadow of her former self. I fear for her, that she might do something very stupid just before the end."   
"if snoke finds out about this, he'll want to drive her to suicide, because that's the only way he'll get the fortune if rey doesn't play along." he realized the devastating truth.  
"Right."   
"What do you expect me to do?  
"I can hide Rey's involvement for a while, but not forever. She needs to get clean as soon as possible so we can finish this."  
Nodding he gave his consent.   
"I'll make sure she gets off."   
  
"By the way, there's a clause in the transfer agreement we made for Snoke when we confront him."   
Frowning, Kylo watched as Amilyn handed him a copy of the contract.   
"We will release the film only with the consent of the descendants of Anakin Skywalker. The final word on the matter, but it is up to you - that was a condition of Rey."   
  
Speechless, he looked up from the contract before nodding silently and returning the document to her.   
"I will leave now before Rey wakes up. I have bought enough groceries so you won't have to leave the apartment. As soon as there is any news, you can call me on the cell phone that is in the safe in the office room," explained Amilyn, taking the laptop and the folder with the documents for order 66.2. She let both disappear in her spacious handbag before she left the apartment with one last respectful nod towards Kylo and closed the door behind her.   
  
His lips pressed together, his gaze lay on the apartment keys that Amilyn Holdo had left on the dining table shortly before she left.  
"Kylo!" he heard Rey's panicked voice from the nearby bedroom, whereupon he ran in his direction. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to clarify the following:  
I have never used cocaine in my life and therefore I don't know what it feels like to go through withdrawal (comes in the next chapter).  
I based my description on the movie Walk the Line.  
I hope the description is halfway good.


	40. Demons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part Two of the whole truth and what´s the reasons of Rey´s behaviour.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be a - Kylo - and a - Rey - Part.   
The same warnings apply as for the last chapter. 
> 
> Song Inspiration: Demons (Imagine Dragons)

**\- Kylo -**

Bathed in sweat, Rey sat in bed and breathed heavily. After a few seconds in which she had regained a normal breathing rate, she began to look around confused.   
"Where am I?" she murmured.   
"You are in Amilyn Holdo's apartment," replied a dark voice, familiar to her. Asking, she lifted her head and saw Kylo sitting at the edge of the bed.   
"What are you doing here?" she asked. Her voice was tense and yet weak at the same time.   
"I'll take care of you."   
"I don't need anybody to take care of me," she replied, narrowing her eyes, distorted with pain as her head pounded.   
"You'd better lie down before the pain gets worse."   
Against her desire to rebel, she followed his instruction and let herself slide back into the pillow.   
"What are you talking about?"   
"That your body is already starting to miss the coke."   
  
With Rey's eyes closed, she opened them instantly and looked shocked and panicked in his direction.   
"No, me..." she started stammering but the dark-haired guy shook his head.  
"Don't deny it, I know all about it."   
"How do you know?" Her voice was weak, her eyes closed again and her face distorted in pain.   
"I saw you do it, Rey and Amilyn know too."   
At the elder woman's name, her body shot up again, only to feel his strong hands on her two upper arms the next moment. Slowly but surely he maneuvered her body back into a lying position.   
  
"Where is Amilyn?"   
"She's gone and left the apartment to us for the time being."   
"For what?"   
"To get you clean."   
"No, I do not have time for this. I have something important to do that can't wait." she explained in a weakened voice, trying to fight the pressure from Kylo, who was still holding her upper arms.   
"Rey..."   
"No, let me go - all your lives depend on it."   
"I know, Rey."  
"No, you don't know..." She paused and looked at him with big eyes, like those of a small child.  
"Rey." he repeated her name in a quiet voice, looking at her softly.   
"I know about order 66.2, Amilyn will handle it."   
"But she does not want to buy shares fast enough for Snoke to finally get his ass kicked." she defended herself in an angry voice.  
"Amilyn knows what she is doing and if you keep this up, you will only play into his hands."   
Frowning, she paused in her uncontrolled movements before she began to tremble again.   
  
"Please give me something, I need it so I can continue." she begged him, grabbing his hands still holding her shoulders.   
"No, I certainly won't do that," he replied, tearing off her slender finger and raising himself.   
"Kylo, give it to me! I will do anything for it. Shall I give you a good time, I know how much you want it," she said, rose trembling and tried to look lascivious and seductive at the same time.   
"No!" he declared in a firm yet loud voice as he arrived at the open door frame and reached for the doorknob.  
As soon as Rey realized what he was about to do she rushed in his direction only to be confronted with the inside of the door as Kylo locked it in time and turned the key.  
"Kylo, let me out!" she shouted in an angry voice and slammed wildly on the door, while the one being shouted at with closed eyes leaned against the wall that was right next door and slowly slid down it.   
  
The acoustic signal for the arrival of a new message sounded across the room. To the sound of Rey's desperate cries, Kylo rose and walked to the dining table where his smartphone was lying.  
  
**"Where is Rey? I've been trying to reach her all day. Snoke is dying to see her!" **  
  
Sighing, he wrote a reply to Bazine:  
**"I just talked to her, she is sick and asked me to apologize to Snoke." **  
  
It was only a few minutes before her reply appeared on the display.  
**"Snoke wants this in writing and wants to see you in person."**  
  
With one glance at the time stamp on the display, he took a deep breath and wrote:  
**"I'll be there tomorrow morning at 9:00." **  
**"He'll be waiting for you tomorrow. Don't be late." **  
  
With a side glance towards the door of the bedroom where Rey was, where meanwhile only soft whimpering came out, he dialed a phone number.  
**"Ahsoka, it's Ben. I need your help with Rey."**

  
**\- Rey -  
  
**Once again the brunette woke up bathed in sweat, her long hair literally stuck to her narrow face. Her high cheekbones are clearly set off from the rest. Trembling, she pulled the blanket around her body in an attempt to warm herself up.   
"Water." she muttered as a silhouette appeared in her field of vision. As her eyes were blurred by the tears she was shedding, she couldn't make out who was standing in front of her or sitting much more.   
"Sit up." the female voice asked her before she felt a small hand helping her slowly move into his sitting position. As she tremblingly reached for the water glass, she felt a strange hand embrace her own, whereupon she raised her head and looked into a familiar face.   
  
"What are you doing here, Doctor Tano?" she asked in a weak voice.  
"I'm watching out for you," she replied while Rey slowly sipped from the water glass.   
"Where is Kylo?"   
"He has some errands to run and will be back after this," Ahsoka explained as she placed the water glass next to her on the nightstand.   
Rey, in turn, slipped back into the pillow and closed her eyes, sighing, before falling asleep again.   
  
The next time, the duration of which Rey couldn't even estimate, was always the same.  
She lived through nightmares before waking up in a sweat and tremblingly reaching for the glass of water that was next to her on the small bedside table.   
At first, she had help from Ahsoka or Kylo, who never spoke to her when she was awake.   
She herself didn't say anything in his direction either, she exchanged a few sentences with her doctor every now and then.  
As soon as she had rehydrated her body, she fell back into bed and into the next sleep, only to be haunted by more nightmares.  
  
Eventually she awoke from another dream and felt clear in her head for the first time in a very long time. No throbbing, no pain and most of all she felt no hunger for the white powder.   
Slowly she turned her head from one side to the other, only to find that she managed it without any major problems. Carefully she sat up, laid her slim fingers on the blanket and realized that they were not shaking.   
  
Her eyes were clear and not blurred, she even heard dull other sounds and not only the rush of her own blood.   
"Glad to see you're feeling better." she heard his voice, so her eyes looked forward and saw his sitting figure at the end of her bed.   
He was sitting on a chair at the foot of her bed, holding a book in his hand.   
"How long was I..." she began quietly, looking at the nightstand where an empty glass with a water jug was standing beside it.   
"It took some time," he replied, putting the book on the chair. Then he went to the dessert table, grabbed the water jug while Rey took the empty glass.   
"Thank you," she said while he filled the glass with water.  
"I'll call Ahsoka and let her know you're awake," Kylo explained, putting the water pitcher down and trying to turn away before he felt Rey's fingers on his forearm. Questioningly, he glanced at her.   
"Please stay."   
  
Nodding, he returned to his seat, took the book and placed it on the small table behind him.   
"I'm so sorry for all I've done to you these past few months, Kylo."   
  
With a gentle smile he nodded at her, but said nothing at first. After a few minutes of silence between the two of them, the dark-haired man cleared his throat and thus attracted her attention again.  
  
"I've read through your research. Rey, if you're not careful and Snoke finds out, he's gonna want to destroy you literally and then he can get your fortune without too much trouble.  
"I know he'll try everything to keep me close. He's the one who gave me the coke," she said weakly and with her eyes closed.   
Kylo stared at her face before he rose to sit at the edge of the bed. Since when?"   
  
She looked at him with a weak look, replied, "Since our first conversation."   
"Oh God, Rey. Why have you never spoken to me?" he wanted to know about her, took her hand and put it between his own.   
"He threatened to hurt you."  
"You?" he asked, carefully.   
"Armitage, Gwen and..." She looked at him sadly. "...you." She added a tearful sob before throwing herself into his arms.  
"Oh, God, Rey. I'm so sorry." he muttered and stroked her lovingly across the long, brunette hair while she clung to him tightly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are approaching the end with rapid strides. Only five chapters left.  
A little spoiler for the next? 
> 
> It´s all about Snoke, Rey and Kylo.


	41. Bleed It Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final showdown between Snoke, Rey and Kylo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EDIT: I´ve change a little bit of the chapter, because it was too cruel.
> 
> Warning in Advance:  
\- Drug Abuse  
\- Violance 
> 
> Song Inspiration: Bleed It Out (Linkin Park)

Kylo sat in the waiting area of Snoke's office and watched as the CEO's personal secretary concentrated on looking at the screen. However, he caught her again and again as her eyes moved to his person.   
  
"How long do I actually have to wait. I was told he wanted to see me immediately," he asked when she looked at him once again.   
"I'm sorry, Mr. Ren but Mr. Snoke is still waiting for someone."  
  
Frowning, he stood up, let both his hands disappear in the pockets of his elegant suit and moved towards her table. With one of his most enchanting smiles, he bent down to her. Satisfied, he noticed that she was clearly blushing.   
"I wonder if you could tell me who that is?"   
"Miss Erso," she said with a smile as her eyes passed him by.   
  
Questioningly, he looked to his left and could see out of the corner of his eye how the brunette in question got off the elevator and walked in his direction.   
She was wearing a dark dress that ended above her knees. Since it was cut to fit her figure, her weight loss was more than obvious. Her brown hair, which by now reached over her shoulders, was tied together into a tight bun. Her face, especially her eyes, was heavily made up.   
  
"Kylo, long time no see." she greeted him in her usual dismissive voice when she arrived, while the secretary behind Kylo knocked on the door to Snoke's office and disappeared for a moment.   
  
"Rey, what a surprise to see you here. I heard you've been sick longer."   
"That's right, I had caught a prolonged infection and lost a little body weight," she replied, stroking her dress, which for once didn't have a low neckline but only gave a good view of her collarbone.   
  
"Mr. Snoke is expecting you both," they heard the secretary's voice as she stepped out of the office, leaving the door open.   
"Thank you very much," Kylo said with a friendly smile, while Rey entered the office with an emotionless expression.   
"Rey, how nice to grace me with your presence again." he heard the elderly man's sweet, artificial kindness as he leaned against his walking stick.   
"Mister Snoke, this is too much of an honor for me," she replied while she let him hug her. Since her back was turned to Kylo, she could not see Snoke looking at the black-haired man with a confident grin.   
  
"Kylo, how nice that you were able to set it up so quickly as well," he said to his leading man.   
He sat nodding on one of the two chairs while Rey used the other seat.  
  
"What did you want to talk to us about?"  
"It's time we stopped this charade," said Snoke as he reached for two pictures that were on his desk.   
"What do you mean by that?" Rey wanted to know in the right voice.  
"I'm talking about the fact that you two had an affair long before you met here," he explained and threw a black-and-white picture each into the lap of his two actors.   
With a quick glance at Kylo, she grabbed the picture and looked at it.  
It showed Kylo and Rey together as they left the foyer of his apartment building together.   
  
"Oh, that's what you're talking about," the dark-haired man said with a smile and carelessly put the picture back on the desk.   
"Can you explain this to me?"   
  
"Of course I can. While I was away, I did small favours for Armitage now and then. Whenever an actress, let's say so..."  
"Had problems?" Snoke interrupted him asking, risking a glance at Rey, who was watching her neighbor unemotionally as he argued, before he looked at Kylo again.  
"That's right. Armitage had recognized her acting talent, but you know about the other problem."  
  
Now it seemed to get too much colorful for Rey, because she interrupted the two men in their conversation: "If you want to know if I had sex with Kylo before, then yes. I was with him to get fit for future sex scenes."   
  
"Well, when I think back to our first meeting, I guess he wasn't good enough as a teacher," Snoke said laughing, turned away from the two of them and returned behind his desk.  
"Yes, he was, without a doubt. But he wasn't nearly as good as you were," Rey replied and gave Kylo a smug smile, which he took notice of with a hard expression on his face.  
  
"That's probably true. Is there anything else you two have been keeping from me?"   
"No." Both answer in sync.  
  
The CEO mustered the two people in front of him for a few minutes before he nodded his head.   
"Well, now that that's cleared up, we can move on to a more unpleasant matter."   
"What is it?"   
"Somebody's been trying to buy a controlling interest in First Order Company on the stock market for several months."   
"Why would someone do that?   
"To put me out of business."  
  
Frowning, Rey shook his head while Kylo was silent.   
"Is such a thing even possible?"   
"Of course it is."   
"Why are you telling us this, Mr. Snoke?" Kylo wanted to know.  
"I need fresh capital to buy back the shares."  
  
Rey and Kylo looked at each other for a moment before Kylo put his back out.   
"I assume you will have sufficient capital of your own to make this happen."   
"No, I can't do that for reasons that are none of your concern."   
"What's in it for us?"   
"You're just like your late grandfather once was. But well, I want you two to deepen your partnership."   
"They want Rey and I to play a couple for publicity."   
"Not only that, I want you to invest some of your assets in the First Order Company out of gratitude."   
"What happens if we don't do this?"   
"I will make sure everyone knows what happened between Anakin Skywalker and Sheev Palpatine. I want everyone to know that he killed the President. I will also ensure that the secret activities of Leia Organa are exposed."  
  
Kylo shook his head. "My mother has nothing to hide and no one will care about my late grandfather's story."  
"Well, if the woman of your heart is going to suffer for it, they will."   
  
Frowning, they no longer understood what was going on.   
"I'm going to charge Leia Organa with conspiracy. You and the chief executive, Amilyn Holdo, are responsible for the attempted hostile takeover. I will destroy her, and you will help me!"   
"No, I most certainly will not." gave Kylo back.   
"Oh, I wasn't talking about you, Ben Solo."   
  
Confused Rey now looked from the dark-haired men to Snoke, when two men rushed in and virtually ate Kylo out of his seat. At the same time, the unscrupulous older man took a small bag from the first drawer and distributed the contents onto a small plate in front of him.   
With shocked expressions on their faces, Rey and Kylo watched as Snoke crushed the powder and placed a rolled up banknote next to it.   
  
"You have the choice, Rey. Either you take this and follow my instructions, or I will have Ben Solo's head blown off once and for all."   
"Rey." exclaimed Kylo before he took a punch in the stomach from one of the two bodyguards.   
  
She rose from her chair, slowly circled the desk while Snoke stepped back to give the young woman enough room.   
With visible fear in her face, she bent forward and tremblingly reached for the banknote.   
  
"Rey, don't do it. My life is not worth submitting to him for good." he shouted to her before he woke up in pain once more when he received the next blow.   
"I guess things didn't turn out the way we hoped. Right, Kylo?" she said with a sad smile before bending down. At the same time, Snoke stepped behind her and suddenly she had a gun to her head.  
"Don't you dare." cried Kylo, before he took more punches from both sides.   
  
"Do it and save Ben Solo." heard Rey Snoke's warning voice as she placed the bill between the white powder and her nostril.  
As soon as she took a first drag, the corrupt man let his fingers wander over her back and behind.  
  
"Pull another one," he instructed her and Rey followed his request without hesitation and immediately allowed himself the two remaining strips while Snoke stood behind her.   
  
Kylo's face was not only covered in blood, but was streaming with tears as he was forced to witness the terrible spectacle that was happening before his eyes.   
"I've changed my mind, kill him," he said as Rey looked shocked in the direction of Kylo, gazing into Ben's desperate face.   
"No, please. I'll do what you want," she brought out moaning, trying to not let the coke cloud her senses .   
"You'll do it anyway!" he replied and reached for the weapon that a bodyguard had put down next to Rey shortly before. With a fixated look at the firearm,   
"I will sign over all my assets to you."   
  
As she hoped, Snoke pulled his hand away from the gun to accommodate her wish. Simultaneously, she reached for the dangerous object and pulled it.  
Kylo watched with full discomfort as Rey unlocked the weapon and took the remaining blows. With one last, meaningful look, she looked at him before Snoke retreated. With force, he turned Rey's body towards him before two shots were fired in a row the next moment. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoiler for the next chapter - the chapter name will be "Apocalypse"


	42. Apocalypse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter we dealt with the consequences of the previous fight with Snoke.   
How will those involved deal with the consequences?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did a little research for this chapter and the aftermath that Rey suffers from. Is everything 100 percent correct? I have no idea, but I've tried to be as accurate as possible.   
Please, be indulge with me.   
Thank you very much. 
> 
> Song Inspiration: Apocalypse (Cigarettes After Sex)

Ben stood in front of the gravestone with a petrified expression. His face was covered with bruises and scabs. He was wearing a dark suit, his hands in his pockets as usual.  
"I am deeply sorry. I regret every day what I have done to you," he said in a low voice, while some tears ran down his cheeks. No one could see his tear-stained eyes, that they were hidden behind sunglasses.   
"I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough to do the right thing at the important moments."   
  
Sobbing, he took off his sunglasses and began to cry uncontrollably. Carefully a slim hand lay on his shoulder, visibly trembling.   
"Come it's time to go home," said Leia, who had stepped beside him.   
"Home? I have no home anymore," he replied sobbing.   
"You can always move back in with me." his mother offered him.   
"I know, but there's only one place I'll ever really feel at home," he said after wiping the tears from his face.  
"That's where you should be."   
With the lost look of a little boy he looked at Leia, who nodded at him with a cheering expression.   
"Who knows if I'm wanted there."   
"The only way to find out is to try."   
  
Nodding, he took a deep breath before he put his sunglasses back on and, with one last look at the gravestone, followed his mother towards the car that stood a few meters away at the side of the road where Luke was waiting for the two of them.  
  
_**Four months before **_  
  
_After the first shot, he had unconsciously squeezed his eyes together before another one echoed noisily through the office. In the next moment he felt the firm grips around his two arms loosen and were violently pushed to the ground. _  
_"If you make so much as one false move, I will shoot you down." he heard a familiar voice that made him open his eyes. _  
  
_With astonishment he saw the silhouette of a man holding a gun in his direction, but it was not aimed at him, but at the person standing directly behind him. _  
_"What's to stop me from blowing his head off," cried the bodyguard angrily, before he felt his kick against his spine, with the intention of holding it forcibly towards the ground._  
_"Buddy, do you have any idea what you're messing with right now?" he said under enormous physical strain as the pressure slowly but surely took away his air to breathe. _  
  
_"Well, then it's her turn," said the bodyguard as he looked out of the corner of his eye as Rey took a deep breath to free himself from Snoke's body after it had collapsed lifelessly over her. _  
_Under the stunned expressions of Ben Solo and his rescuer, they had to watch as the young woman had meanwhile rolled onto her stomach and lifted her upper body. Before Rey realized that she was facing the barrel of the gun, its owner fired a shot and hit her in the head area._  
  
_Kylo exclaimed desperately "Rey!" while at the same time another shot rang out and the bodyguard whose foot he had felt against his spine just before fell to the ground beside him. With a shocked expression he could see a single hole in his head from which blood was pouring out. _  
  
_"Call an ambulance immediately," cried Luke, where the young secretary reached for the telephone receiver with a horrified expression on her face. _  
_"Rey!" Kylo said again, lifted himself up into the stand, groaning, and circled the table, finding the young woman lying on the floor. A red bloodstain formed under her head. "Damn it, Rey." Carefully he lifted her upper body and head area, bedding the hit part in the palm of his hand. He didn't make sure that her blood soaked deep into his suit. His worried eyes lay on her face, which looked perfectly peaceful. _  
  
_"Luke, she's still breathing," he noted with audible amazement as he put his ear over her mouth and felt a shallow but steady breath. The full bearded man let himself get down on his knees and watched the scene in front of him. "Rey, hold on," he swore to his daughter, while isolated tears made their way across his face.   
  
_

The man once known as Kylo Ren sat behind the wheel of his Range Rover and drove along Interstate 95, which took him out of the city. The distant skyline of Manhattan became smaller and smaller as he headed south.   
  


_In the waiting area, reserved for relatives of private patients, Luke sat next to Leia, whose hands were held by Ahsoka Tano. _   
_Amilyn had stood by the nearby coffee machine again, right next to another dark-haired man whose head was lowered. _   
  
_"Mr. Solo?" the doctor called for him as soon as he stepped out of the restricted area. The man had raised his head, pure exhaustion was written on it. _   
_While he hurried to the doctor, Leia and Luke, as well as the other two women, looked up excitedly. _   
_"We were able to remove the bullet without complications," explained the doctor who'd performed the operation. He was still wearing the green robe, his head still hidden under a hood of the same color. _   
_"Does that mean she'll live?" he asked, whereupon the man in green pressed his lips together._   
_"We can neither confirm nor deny this at this time. We have placed Miss Erso in an artificial coma after surgery to allow her brain to recover from the injuries in peace. After a certain amount of time, we will wake her up and only then will we see how far the damage goes."_   
_"You're saying you don't know if she'll even wake up on her own, right?" Ben spoke the ominous truth, his voice was marked by emotionality. _   
_"Sadly, yes. "Even if she is able to wake up on her own, doesn't mean there won't be complications." _   
_"Luke Skywalker. What are we to expect?" Luke wanted to know after he appeared next to his nephews. _   
_"I can't tell you until the time comes," the doctor explained before his pager beeped. "Please excuse me," he added before disappearing back into the restricted area.   
  
_

As he drove by the Newark airport, he remembered the day he was called by the clinic. He was on his way to that very airport to fly to Washington. 

  
_"Solo." _   
_"Mr Solo, may I inform you that Miss Erso recently woke up for the first time. Since you are listed as the contact person..." Though he should normally have taken the exit, the dark-haired man continued his vehicle on the interstate. _   
_"I'll be there in half an hour," he said without hesitation before ending the conversation and immediately stepping on the gas. _   
_As soon as he arrived at the ward where her room was, the doctor in charge of her treatment came to meet him._   
_"Mr. Solo." he greeted him and shook his hand._   
_"Doctor Foster. Can I see her?" he asked immediately and received a strange expression on the face of the man in the white coat._   
_"What's wrong?" he asked with a frown, while he saw from the corner of his eye how some nurses came out of Ray's room and were relieved by other colleagues._   
_"Let's take a walk." the doctor asked him in a serious voice, touching him on the elbow. Irritated by his interaction with him, he knew instinctively that something was wrong. _   
_"What's going on?" Ben wanted to know as soon as he got to the doctor's office and the doctor closed the door behind him._   
  
_"The good news is that Rey suddenly opened her eyes this morning. At first, we weren't sure if it was just a physical reaction from a coma patient." He paused, looking up at Ben, who was looking at him tense._   
_"Is that it? Is Rey in a coma vigil now?" _   
_Smiling, Ben could watch the doctor shake his head. _   
_"No." _   
_"This is very good news," said the dark-haired man, visibly relieved. _   
_"That's true in principle, but..." _   
_"Now here's the bad news, isn't it?" Ben interrupted him, whereupon the doctor looked up from the surface of his desk._   
_"Rey has no memory of the accident or what happened before it." _   
_"Amnesia?" _   
_"We assume so, because she is not able to articulate herself sufficiently." _   
_The dark-haired man nodded slowly and leaned back in his chair, weighing the bitter truth and the complications that lay ahead. _   
  
_"I want to see her." _   
_"Mister Solo...Ben." his counterpart began in a reluctant voice. _   
_"No matter how she is or what damage she may have done, I want to see her." _   
_"Of course, but I must warn you first. It could be that Rey will not recognize you, nor will you recognize Rey as the same young woman she once was." _   
  
_With clenched lips Ben nodded, rose and followed the doctor to their rooms, whose door had just been opened and a nurse stepped out with a tray in her hand._   
_"How good of you to be here, Doctor Foster. Miss Erso refuses to eat." _   
_"Give me the tray," Ben asked her, whereupon the middle-aged woman glanced questioningly at the doctor, who nodded in agreement with her. _   
_As the dark-haired man was about to enter the sickroom, he was stopped by Doctor Foster's hand resting on his arm. Questioningly, he looked at the doctor. _   
_"Ben, please remember," he admonished the dark-haired man before he let him go first. _   
  
_For the first time in months he could look into those beautiful hazel eyes. But as much as he rejoiced, he couldn't help but notice that her eyes seemed empty. She looked up from her slender fingers, which had been asked to sit on her lap. _   
_Her first gaze was directed at the doctor, only afterwards did her eyes wander to him and the tray he was still holding in his hands. Without showing any visible reaction to his person, her eyes returned to the man in white._   
  
_"Miss Erso, I am Doctor Foster."_   
_Nodding, she took note of his information, while Ben painfully realized that she still didn't appreciate a single look at him. _   
_"You were in an accident and sustained a serious head injury. "As a result, you have been in a coma for several months." _   
  
_When Rey still didn't speak, the doctor looked at Ben for a moment before clearing his throat. _   
_"Miss Erso, Rey can you answer me?"_   
_She opened her mouth, but to her own amazement, not a word came out at first. _   
_"Doctor," Ben said softly, drawing her attention to himself. He pulled a small notepad from his coat pocket and a pencil. _   
_Surprised, the doctor pushed the two utensils into his hand, so that Ben walked around the bed. Under their watchful gaze he carefully laid them down on the bedspread. While her eyes locked on his person, she reached for the pad and began to write. _   
  
_"Who are you? Where is Luke?" was written on it as she lifted the pad up into the air._   
_Resigned, Ben closed his eyes for a moment, while he perceived the voice of Doctor Forster only through a cotton wool._   
_"Please excuse me," he muttered before fleeing the hospital room. _


	43. Don´t Forget Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey's mind after waking up and the time after that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm very sorry it's been a while since my last update, but this whole Corv19 has made a huge mess of my life (as I think it has for all of us). 
> 
> I now have my two girls at home and I have to do home schooling with the big one. I'm not a gifted teacher, although everyone says I can explain well - asks my older daughter if that's so :))) 
> 
> Anyway, we are healthy so far and hopefully we will stay that way. My thoughts are with you and all of you! 
> 
> Here now the last regular part before the epilogue comes.   
I will post the story for the next few days and then this is it. 
> 
> Song Inspiration - Don´t Forget Me (Nathan Wagner)

  
_"Rey, you gotta hang in there." _   
_"Why would I do that?" _   
_"Because there are people who need you." _   
_"Who?" _   
_"Ben."   
  
_

First time I saw him, he was standing in front of my hospital bed. His finger almost clutched the tray morbidly, yet his face was marked with great concern.   
I heard the doctor's words, I could hear them all and their meaning. But when he asked me to speak for myself the first lump was thrown at my feet. Under the shocked expression of the dark-haired man I noticed that I could not articulate myself. The next thing I could observe was him carefully placing a small notepad and a pencil on the blanket. Then he took a step back, as if he wanted to give me some space.  
I didn't know why or how, but I just couldn't take my eyes off his face. He looked so familiar to me, but at the same time completely strange. So I wrote down the first question that came to my mind.   
  
**"Who are you?" **  
  
Before I held up the notepad, the face of a man with a full beard appeared before my mind's eye. I quickly wrote down another question when I remembered his identity.   
  
**"Where is Luke?" **  
  
No sooner had the dark-haired man, whose face has accompanied me since that day and haunted me in my dreams, read my written questions than he muttered an apology and literally fled my hospital room.  
I looked irritated at the doctor, who had previously introduced himself as Doctor Foster, who had meanwhile begun to speak. While he was speaking, he reached for a chair and sat down on it.  
He told me about my life, that I was an actress and that I got into a gunfight during a discussion. In the process I suffered a serious head injury, which was responsible for my amnesia and speech problems.   
He illustrated to me the possibility of further physical and psychological consequences.   
  
**"Will I be able to work as an actress again?"** had been my first question after he had explained the basic things to me. Apart from the physical aspect, this question was the most important for me, because it had always been my dream.  
"As long as there are no further complications and they have learned to speak again, I don't see any problems," said the doctor and dared to make a statement out of thin ice, because at that time nobody knew if I would ever be able to make a single sound of myself again.   
  
**"Who was the young man with the dark hair?"** I repeated my question again at the end.   
  
"That was Ben Solo, my nephew." I heard the familiar voice of Luke, who I saw open the doorway.   
In contrast to my memories, those of a nearly fifty year old Luke Skywalker with brown hair and a discreet beard, this man was not only full beard but also visibly aged.  
I formed "Luke" visibly relieved with my lips without getting a single sound out of my mouth.   
My mentor and parent substitute gave me a loving embrace before the doctor explained everything necessary. After he had left us alone, I finally dared to ask myself  
**"How much time am I missing?" **  
"Almost eight years, Rey," he answered me with a sad expression in his voice.   
  
**"What really happened to me Luke and why was your nephew here? I have a feeling that he and I..."** I paused to write, took a deep breath and crossed out the last sentence before returning the pad to him.  
  
"You're colleagues and have worked together on your current film project." That day, my foster father's nephew never returned.  
Surprisingly, he was the only one who didn't visit me once in the following weeks. I met his mother, Leia Organa, and Amilyn Holdo, who was involved in our film project.   
In the course of this I got to know the couple Armitage Hux and Gwen Phasma. They worked for the former production company of the film I worked on with Ben Solo - the First Order Company.   
  
From various articles on "Varykino" - a film adaptation of the love story between Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala, I had read that the production company had been taken over by the Resistance Rebels Group due to internal problems and is now mainly responsible for the release of the film.   
With a frown I noticed that the magazine was missing a whole double page. When I asked Luke about it, he shrugged his shoulders and said that he hadn't even noticed. But since I knew the full bearded man all my life, I knew immediately that he was not telling me the whole truth.  
  
**"I know Luke's hiding something from me,"** I wrote one day when my therapist Ahsoka Tano visited me. She helped me on the mental level with the temporary loss of my voice and all the events surrounding the physical treatments of my body.  
The older woman saw me for a long time anyway before she nodded and reached for my pad and wrote something on it. While she was putting on her coat, I took a look at the handwriting and looked up at her with a frown.  
"I'll be back tomorrow," she said, hugged me and then left my room. I looked again, irritated, at the notepad where a name was written:   
**"Richard Snoke."   
**  
For some inexplicable reason, I couldn't get my mind off the name. Normally I could have simply reached for this smartphone and looked for the man, at least Gwen had done so when she showed her photos from the coverage of the joint film project with Ben.   
But since she couldn't remember how to search for a person on the smartphone, I had no choice but to ask a nurse.   
But fate had other plans for me. Whether it was a pure coincidence in the end or whether it was planned by him after all, I can't say more.   
  
"Hello, Rey." I looked up from the piece of paper Ahsoka left me and looked at the dark-haired man. She automatically reached for her notebook and said, **"Hello Ben." **  
"You know who I am?" he asked in surprise.   
  
**"No, I can't remember you if you ask. But Luke, Leia, Armitage and all the others told me about you." **  
  
Frowning, he stopped at the end of her sick bed, whereupon I pointed to the chair that was right next to me on the right side. Nodding, he followed my invitation and then looked at me, noticing the note between my fingers.   
"What is this?"   
Undecidedly, I looked at the said piece of paper before she lifted my head again to look at it.   
**"I saw some reports, about our joint film project "Varykino."** I began to write, paused to show it to him and got a nod from him.   
**"So we're colleagues, working side by side."**  
"Yes, that's right, because we're both leading actors," he said.   
  
**"How do you feel about impersonating your own grandfather?"   
**  
He shrugged his shoulders. "I do my best to live up to his memory as best I can."  
**"I hope I have portrayed your late grandmother to her satisfaction.**" I said with my head bowed, pondering my own handwriting. Astonished, I felt his hand gently resting on mine, I looked up questioningly.  
  
"You were wonderful. My mother said she didn't immediately recognize in the first pictures that it was you and not Padme herself," he explained in a loving voice. I didn't know why, but immediately I felt attracted to him. His gentle expression, his voice - all of this had haunted my dreams for the last few months.   
  
After a few seconds of silence, Ben pulled back his hand, clearing his throat. "Don't." I unconsciously formed it with my lips before I realized that I had actually said the word out loud.   
I looked at him with shock-widened eyes and found the same surprise on his face. "You have spoken." he said just as softly, in reverence if he hadn't imagined it.  
"Yes, I did." I replied in a croaky but clear voice.   
"That is... I'll get the doctor immediately!" he exclaimed visibly pleased, withdrawing his hand and quickly leaving the sickroom.   
A short time later the doctor on duty returned, thus initiating a series of further examinations.   
"I'll be leaving so that the doctors can examine you." said the dark-haired man, reaching for his coat.   
"Couldn't Ben accompany me to the examinations?" I turned to the doctor and got a surprised look on the faces of the two men.   
"Of course I could, if you would like me to, Mr Solo," said the man in white.  
"Gladly." Ben replied, dropping his coat back onto the back of the visitor's chair. Afterwards I reached out to him with a questioning expression, which he grasped with a loving smile. Now I was ready to endure all the examinations, because now I was no longer alone - now I had Ben.


	44. Be With Me (Epilogue)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How it ends?   
Will Rey remember again, what´s in the future for her?  
And what about Kylo or should I say Ben? 
> 
> Let´s see - the Epilogue or like the title of the chapter said 
> 
> Be With Me - from Patrice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After some reflection and because of the current situation I have removed a chapter and so we come to 44 and that is good. 
> 
> Despite all the discrepancies and difficulties this fanfiction has gone through in the course of its existence, I still hope to have pleased my readers with it and maybe even entertained them a bit away.
> 
> I am currently working on two more, which I will continue to follow. Maybe you'll have a look in there and leave me one or two comments.

**Epilogue**  
  
"Miss Erso, please look at the camera."   
The person in charge of the press department of the production company, leaned over to the cameraman who was responsible for setting up the still camera and whispered something in his ear. Nodding, he looked at the young woman sitting on a chair a few feet away, who was being made up by Gwen Phasma.   
Behind her, a poster towered up into the air, showing two people. They were leaning towards each other, but while his gaze was directed downwards, the young woman looked straight ahead. Above was written in capital letters:  
  
_**"VARYKINO" **_  
_**A love story between love and betrayal**_  
  
"Rey, are you ready?" Gwen asked in a low voice after she had finished her work. Her brown hair had grown back by now, so they were stuck for the interview series by a light bun.   
As during the shooting, which took place almost ten years ago, she was provided with various items of clothing by a well-known fashion house. She was wearing a knee-length dress made of crepe in a dark blue shade. Around her waist there was a visible belt and she had long sleeves.   
  
Nodding, she agreed with the woman with the blond hair, whereupon she turned around and told the person in charge her agreement.   
"Good, and remember, we have issued advance notice of certain issues I'm back here, wrong should be something." she reassured the visibly nervous young woman and pointed to a spot at the back of the room.   
"Thank you, Gwen. When did he say, is he coming again?" she shouted after her, stroking a strand of hair from her face.   
"As soon as he's finished his one-on-one interviews."   
  
Nodding, she took a deep breath, stroked her dress and nodded at the cameraman.   
"Okay, let's get started." the person in charge announced, opened the door and let the first journalist enter.   
  
"Hello Miss Erso, I'm Lilly Evans from British magazine..." the young woman introduced herself when the person addressed stood up and shook her hand.   
"I'm Rey, hello Lilly." she replied friendly before she settled down again, as did the young journalist.  
"I'm sorry if I keep looking at my piece of paper, but this is my first interview," Lilly said, while she kept looking at the piece of paper.   
Rey looked at the young woman in front of him with a smile as she saw the nervous look of the person in charge looking at the digital clock display that was on the opposite wall.  
"Take your time, Lilly. If it makes you feel any better, this is the first interview since the accident and I'm as nervous as you are," Rey explained, receiving an astonished look from the journalist, who looked at Gwen questioningly, nodding.   
"Well, then what has it been like for you to impersonate a person who actually lived once?"   
  
Rey soon realized that the questions kept repeating themselves and she was giving the same answers over and over again.   
After countless journalists she received a glass of water and sipped from it when the next journalist already arrived.   
"Mrs. Solo." he greeted her and Rey frowned at the man.   
"How do you know Miss Erso is married?" Gwen asked in a serious tone of voice from the journalist who was frowning behind her where now more of a person appeared.   
  
"Calm down, Gwen. I have told him, you can relax," Ben's voice sounded as he appeared next to the journalist and meant to sit down. Then he sat down on the second chair that an assistant had placed for him next to the one of Rey.   
  
In this double interview, Ben and Rey were to be the subject of the interview themselves and vaguely about the role they played in the downfall of Snoke and the First Order Company, as well as the subsequent takeover by the Resistance Group.  
  
"This is the first time they have publicly confirmed what has been floating around in the rumor mill for a long time," the journalist told Rey, who looked at Ben with a nod.  
"Yes, because of the severity of the head injury Rey had suffered, he had received amnesia."   
"Did you ever remember anything about the time before the accident?"   
"No, no matter how hard I tried. I still can't remember our first meeting or the events with Snoke that finally led to his death," she replied, holding Ben's hand.   
  
"If that's so, how come the two of you..." the journalist began, looking at the two golden wedding rings.   
"That we're married?" Ben asked and received a nod from the questioner.   
"I visited her every day, knowing that she would probably never remember me."   
"I just fell in love with him all over again."   
"And the fact that he shares responsibility for the death of her birth mother, Kira Kenobi?"   
  
"I don't know how I felt when I found out. I can only tell you and the readers one thing." Rey paused, gazing affectionately at Ben, who looked at her with clenched lips. She could clearly see how uncomfortable he was about Kira Kenobi.   
  
"At first I asked myself many questions and needed time to get along with certain things. But one thing never changed - my feelings for him and the wish to have him at my side.   
Even if my memories will probably never return, I am and will always be the same."  
"What is that?"  
"A young woman who had to learn to rely on others and that it is often better to leave the past behind. It was important to deal with her, because only now can I look happily into the future."   
"Together?"  
"Together." both answered at the same time, looking at each other lovingly. 


End file.
